Son of the dragon
by Trojan Seeress
Summary: Gods shouldn't meddle in the affairs of mortals. But what if one did? Lily Potter pleads to any god listening to save her son Harry. Meanwhile a Dragonborn wishes for a child she can never have. A deal is struck and a child saved. But now a letter arrives in Nirn inviting the young boy back to the world of his birth. What will the Wizarding world make of him? This Son of the Dragon
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"Lily He's here take harry and run!" the dark haired man cried as he lunged toward the door, intent on halting or at least delaying the menace that now advanced upon his family. The hooded figure smirked at the father's foolish bravery as the green jet of light hit the father in the chest, ripping his soul away and casting it into the void.

Like a poison in a wound he glided slowly up the stairs, certain in his coming victory. In the small nursery upstairs an auburn haired woman cradled a small black haired infant as she muttered an incantation. A small circle of candles flickered around her, a pitiful barrier against the coming storm. Yet it was this ritual that caught a beings attention.

Far removed from the plane of existence a presence stirred intrigued with the plea that reached its ears. it extended its consciousness to two different worlds "what are you willing to give?"

It asked the desperate mother "all that I am or could be" she replied "if it will save my son I will give all that I am." The presence paused for a moment, time was such an elastic thing really, and an eternity to the being could be the merest fraction of a moment elsewhere.

Its mind touched another woman's "would you accept a deal young one?" It asked, from another plane a small ebony haired elf cocked its head to the side "will it save a life?" she queried the being assented and directed her thoughts to the mother.

"Please save my son." The mother pleaded a tear rolling down her cheek "I am running out of time" the being considered for the briefest moment before assenting. The door opened to reveal the hooded man.

"Give me the child" he commanded striding forward with his wand pointing at the mother's back. "No" the mother snarled curling her body around the child in an instinctive attempt to shield him from the figure.

"Stand aside you silly girl" the figure he commanded again "Not harry. Take me instead but not harry." The woman pleaded, praying her child would survive this night.

The figure made no sound for a moment before jabbing his wand at the woman shrieking "Avada Kedavra" a bolt of green light shot from his wand and sped toward her back, a glowing purple and black portal swirled into existence and a pair of hands took the child as the bolt hit the mother.

The hands in the portal quickly withdrew as a second curse flew at the portal. Two magic's that should never mix, encountered each other, and the resulting explosion destroyed the house, the hooded figure and attempted to attack the child. A barrier warded it off except for a tiny sliver that was too close, this sliver of power struck the child in the forehead and burned a lighting shaped rune into the boy's skin, forever marking him. The portal sealed behind the child and left no trace of its ever existing.

Hours later a man in long black robes and greasy black hair appeared in the scene. The sight of the smoldering wreckage made him cry the mother's name as he sprinted into the ruins. He found the father's smoldering corpse first, laying at the bottom of the stairs where he had fallen. Up the stairs the remains of the mother's body smoked, an unrecognisable husk lying next to a pile of ash and charred black cloth. The man fell to his knees beside the mother's body and howled like a wounded beast, gone, she was gone.

The roar of an engine cut through his grief, he had to flee. Others were coming. With a pop he vanished as another black haired man nearly killed himself jumping off the still moving motorcycle that had just landed. He too ran into the smoke and ash, crying the family's names desperately and came upon the same scene as his predecessor where he halted in horror before digging through the searing rubble crying "Harry!"

A wild looking giant of a man appeared too and joined the man in the ruins, tears were pouring down both their faces "my fault, all my fault" the man kept murmuring "wadda ya mean yur fault" the giant rumbled turning on the man with rage beginning to kindle in his normally kind gaze.

"I told them not to use me and they paid for my mistake" the man wept burying his face in his hands. "I was the decoy, everyone would be chasing me and keep them safe." The words came out muffled and the giant took a step back "If not you then who?" he asked, the man gave a broken sob and whispered one word "Pettigrew."

* * *

In the darkness between worlds, beyond even Oblivion, a woman held a child. The woman was clearly not mortal though, tiny pinpricks of light swirled around her form like a dress and her eyes held the eternity of the cosmos.

She was a sentinel, a guardian of the balance of existence, daughter of energy, even gods feared her. "I am sorry little one" she whispered to the child who know cried in her arms. At the soothing sound of her voice, one filled with the sound of a mother's pure love, the child stilled and looked at her with solemn emerald green eyes.

The woman took a handful of steps forward, and with those steps, slipped past the layers that surrounded another world and into the world of an elf. "Silandra" the woman whispered to the elf who knelt before her. "I am Stillness, Guardian of worlds. I heard a young mother's cry to save her child and did so."

The elf looked up at the being curiously "You have also performed many deeds and sacrificed much to save this world from destruction." A small tear slipped from the elf's deep amber eyes as she swallowed hard and nodded before looking away. "Then take this child, I make him yours in blood and spirit. A child to carry on your legacy as you sacrificed your hope for children to slay the darkness."

The elf's head jerked up and her eyes filled with hope. The woman held the child out to her "take your son and name him well young mother." Gently the woman stood, her tiny five foot three frame barely reaching the woman's collar bone as she reached out and took the infant.

As her skin touched his, a shimmer appeared over his form, darkening his pale skin to a similar shade of bronze as his mother's, a pair of overly large pointed ears took the place of his rounded ones and his face took on a leaner look. The change ended and he rested in her arms, a small Bosmer child that was obviously her son, save for his now dark forest green eyes that had darkened from their original emerald.

Tenderly she lowered her lips to his forehead, avoiding the scar and kissed him. Her gratitude and love filling her body "my little Aralas" she murmured before lifting her head to look at the woman who nodded "a fitting name, precious gift."

Silandra nodded "from the bottom of my heart I thank you" she choked.

The woman frowned ever so slightly "though he is yours there may be a chance that those from his old world will seek to claim him again. Be on your guard and be prepared to decide, should that day ever come. Farewell Silandra Dragonborn Stillglade." With that the woman vanished in a swirl of shadow and a spray of stars.

Silandra looked down at her new son who shivered slightly in the thin night clothes he was dressed in. "come little Aralas, let's get you inside." She giggled as he yawned widely "and too bed" she smiled at him and turned into the large manor that she had just finished.

* * *

"Serana Come in!" Silandra greeted her old friend at the door. The beautiful vampire smiled and embraced her Bosmer friend tightly "Silandra it's been too long. So what was so urgent that you sent one of you birds to find me?" She asked as Silandra lead her deeper into her house.

"I had a visit from a god" Silandra informed her casually. Serana stopped and looked at her friend incredulously then laughed "and what kind of quest were you given this time?" she asked "not a quest." Silandra said firmly "A reward" Serana looked at her in confusion and the Bosmer Dragonborn elaborated "you know that I gained a lot of power in my search to destroy Alduin." Serana nodded "Well all that power had a price, I gave up my ability to have children in order to gain the strength to destroy the world eater. At the time it seemed like a worthy trade, but lately."

She trailed off and Serana finished the statement "you've started to want what you could not have?" Silandra nodded "then Stillness gave me him."

They had arrived upstairs and Serana now saw a small cradle that was made from dragon bones, filled with soft fur pelts and one small black haired Bosmer child. Serana was still for a moment before she whispered "he looks just like you." Then she looked up at Silandra "can I hold him?" she pleaded, her fiery eyes soft and hopeful.

Silandra laughed softly and gently picked the child up from his nest and after cradling him for a moment handed him to her best friend. As she watched the centuries old vampire holding her son she had an idea "Serana" she said quietly, the vampire looked up "Would you be his godsmother?" shock registered on the woman's face before she smiled brightly "of course Silandra. I would be honoured."

Silandra smiled broadly "I plan to head to the temple of the divines in Solitude to have him blessed, as his godsmother would you come with me?" Serana grinned "Wild horses and dragons couldn't stop me" she informed her friend.

Several hours later saw the two of them sitting in a carriage bound north to the capital city. Little Aralas jabbered at them in an unknown language but quickly began to pick up words like mama and Ana which he began using to identify the two women at their prompting. It took three days to reach the capital but on the way they purchased several much needed items for little Aralas's care and both quickly learned how to feed and change the small child.

It was twilight when they reached the city, Silandra was singing a Bosmer lullaby to the yawning child while rocking him, and Serana had lost a running battle with sleep as well. The carriage drew to a halt and she nudged he friend with her foot.

Serana jerked awake with an undignified snore before blinking and seeing that they had arrived. They dismounted from the carriage and paid the driver before walking through the darkening streets to Proudspire manor where they all fell into an exhausted sleep.

At dawn the next morning Silandra was up and in the temple of the divines arranging for the ceremony to happen, a quick stop by the market to gather food for her son and she was back at the manor where a bright eyed Aralas toddled around between Serana and her housecarl Jordis and shouting chortling random sounds as the two women played with him. "My lady you have returned" Jordis said startled to see her thane standing near the stairs watching them "yes I have and I just managed to arrange his naming day ceremony, tomorrow."

Serana smiled "that's wonderful I'll need to find some proper clothes" Silandra turned too Jordis "I would be honoured if you would be his protector should Serana or I fall." The housecarl's jaw fell open "I….I would be truly honoured my Thane" she stuttered.

"wonderful" Silandra smiled "Now to take my son to radiant raiment's" she bent and scooped Aralas up and strode out the door toward the market district.

* * *

"We are gathered here I this sacred space to welcome a new soul to mundus." The priestess of Akatosh intoned. Silandra was standing in a beautiful green velvet dress holding her son who wore a deep green child's tunic of fine linen and brown pants.

Serana stood to her right in red Velvet and Jordis on her left in her finest ebony armour that Silandra had given her.

"Who brings this child forth?" the priest of Julianos asked, Silandra stepped forward "I Silandra Stillglade of Valenwood, Dragonborn, thane of all of Skyrim, Arch-mage of the Collage of Winterhold, champion of Mara, Harbinger of the Companions, and Legate of the imperial legion bring forth my child." She replied firmly.

"And who have you chosen to raise your child should you fall?" a priest of Arkay asked her. "She who is my sister in all but blood, Serana Volkihar will be my child's Godsmother." She replied and Serana stepped forward to join her again.

"And who shall protect him should you both fail?" the Priest of Stendarr asked quietly "Jordis Shield-Maiden shall protect him should this occur" Serana told them her eyes blazing at this question. Jordis stepped up to join her thane.

"Then let us see what sign your child was born beneath" Kynareth's priestess said, her hands glowing with light that she let flow over the child. The symbol of the apprentice formed in the air above the child "What shall be the child's name?" the priestess of Dibella asked smiling at the now gurgling child "His name is Aralas Parthunax Stillglade, son of Silandra Stillglade, born in Skyrim." Then we shall place the blessings of the Divines upon the child" The Akatosh priestess said and each priest took a step forward one at a time to bless the child.

"May Akatosh grant you long life"

"May Julianos gift you with his wisdom"

"May Dibella grace you with her beauty"

"May Mara aid you in finding love"

"May Kynareth grant you freedom"

"May Stendarr gift you with Mercy"

"May Zenithar bless your work"

"May Arkay grant you peaceful rest"

Each priest touched the child's brow and with each blessing the scar grew fainter and fainter until it was almost completely invisible unless you knew to look for it.

"We welcome Aralas Parthunax Stillglade, son of Silandra Stillglade to mundus. May he live a long and full life under the guidance of the gods." The head priestess finished and drew the symbol of the Aedra on Aralas's forehead with oil. "So mote it be" intoned the others "So mote it be" echoed Silandra Serana and Jordis. "Go in peace Dragonborn" the priest of Stendarr told them after they had finished signing all the relevant documents that made Aralas an imperial citizen of the province of Skyrim and legally recognized him as the child of Silandra. Thanking the priest the trio of women and the child left.

Far away in another world a name in a book shimmered. Alarms blared and Dumbledore sprinted towards the book of names that held the names of future students for Hogwarts. He tore the book open and saw something that made him gasp. The name of Harry Potter was gone as if it had never existed. In its place in the same neat script as thousands of other names read Aralas Parthunax Stillglade.

* * *

A/N

I must truly thank Sins of the Fallen for the inspiration for this story. I read it and rather fell in love with the idea of a Mer Harry. This is a test, if people like it then I shall continue if not then I will keep it to myself. Thank you to Mystborn for all the encouragement to post this story and for betaing. So please read and tell me what you think. To forestall comments about the formatting please don't talk about it, I want feed back on my story not on how your computer or mobile device processes what I put out.

Thank you all, let us journey forth into a new story together.

Safe travels, Trojan Seeress


	2. letters from no one

**Chapter 1- Letters from a Madman**

Minerva McGonagall looked at the address on the envelope that sat on the desk between her and Dumbledore with some trepidation. It was addressed to a Mr. A Stillglade in Lakeview manor Falkreath hold, Skyrim, Nirn. Though where that was had stumped her and the headmaster as well as all the post owls they had sent. "I must say I don't know what to do next" Dumbledore admitted gloomily sucking absently on a lemon drop.

A portal opened and a man dressed in an eye watering collection of mismatched and colourful clothes strode out "You won't find him Bumblesnore." He crowed in a heavy Scottish accent "Lucky for you, I'm willing to help. You see the letter your looking to post is addressed to someone in the world I help look after" here the man let loose a mad cackle "As much as they let me" he added grinning widely. "Now where was I" he paused before exclaiming loudly "Ah yes your letter. Well turns out the lad your looking for is the son of the Dragonborn. Nice lady, a little mad herself at time, reminds me of myself when I was a young adventurer. I'll take your letter to him never fear."

He turned to leave, scooping the letter up and tucking it away in his clothes, but a cry from McGonagall stopped him "What is your name" she asked desperately. The man grinned widely and they saw his eyes clearly for the first time, his pupils were uneven and his irises were a starling yellow "Sheogorath Deadric Prince of madness" he grinned, giving a dramatic, seeping bow before vanishing, leaving the echo of his mad laughter behind.

* * *

Ten year old Aralas was running through the forest near his home, the sun was setting and he didn't want to be caught outside after dark again. The last time that had happened his mother had to rescue him from the pack of wolves that had chased him up a tree, he shuddered at the memory of his mother's anger at him afterward, never again he vowed. The years had been good to the young boy, a highly active lifestyle and his Aunt's and mother's training in the arts of combat and magic had conditioned his mind and body well.

He was lean and muscled like a whip with deeply tanned bronze skin from a life of spending much of his time out of doors. His forest green eyes had finally achieved a proper elven slant, though his ears were still too big for his head, mother said he would grow into it and he hoped she was right. His ebony hair was long and held back in a half horsetail with several wind braids and feathers, he was dressed in brown linen trousers and leather boots with a leather vest covering his skinny torso. A bone amulet swung from a leather cord around his neck and a simple iron dagger was strapped to his belt.

He leapt over a fallen tree with a flip and slid to a stop at the front door of the manor. His mother was lounging on the porch, her small frame dressed in tight black pants, high leather boots and a sky blue sleeveless shirt. Her faithful ebony daggers were strapped to her legs and her amulet of Y'ffre swung from her neck, a twin to the one he wore.

"Mother" he called happily and sprinted toward her. Silandra quickly stood and caught the boy as he hurled himself into her arms hugging his mother fiercely "Happy nameday Aralas" his mother told him ruffling his long dark hair and smiling at the silly grin on her son's face "If you come inside there is something you will want to see" she grinned as the excited Bosmer child leapt out of her embrace and aimed for the door. Flinging it open and darting inside "Dragon attack" she called into the house jokingly.

A woman near the fire stood up and Aralas blasted their ears with a joyful shriek of "Aunty Rana" before lunging at the vampire who stumbled from the impact despite her strength "hello little one" she smiled at him and returned his crushing embrace as he tried to squeeze the lifelessness out of her "you came" he cried happily, if a little muffled by her clothes "of course I came. Did you think I would miss my little dragon's nameday?" she informed him ruffling her nephew's hair and lifting him up so he sat on her hip, his arms wrapped around her neck and his face buried in her shoulder.

"He's getting heavier Sil" she told the elf who joined them near the fire "Well growing boys tend to do that and I think he's getting too old for that anyway" Silandra joked back, laughing at her sons vehement head shake of denial. "Now put the savage down and let's give him his presents shall we?" Aralas squealed in delight and Serana set the child back on the floor.

They sat down on the near the river stone fireplace that burned with enchanted flames so as to not harm and wood in accordance with the green pact. "So eleven years now hmm?" Serana looked at the little Bosmer whose ears were still too big for his head, and his eyes still held the fragile innocence of childhood, innocence she would do anything to protect. Aralas nodded excitedly "That's right Aunty Rana, mama says I can start wearing face paint now" Serana shot an amused look at Silandra who smiled apologetically and shrugged, her own silver face paint just barely visible as a pair of wide curves from her eyes down to her throat.

"Now Aralas this is your eleventh Naming day," Silandra told him sternly but her eyes twinkled "And so as Arch-mage of the Collage of Winterhold I would like to extend a formal invitation to you to study in our hallowed halls this coming year, I hear master J'zargo is particularly interested in your current progress" Aralas grinned from ear to ear and launched himself at his mother, tackling her in a hug "yes, yes, yes, yes" he chanted squeezing her with all his strength, which for an eleven year old able to kill a man was considerable.

"Sweetheart Mama can't breathe" she gasped and he let go looking a little sheepish before he stood back and bowed solemnly "Arch-mage I wou.." whatever he had been about to say was lost in the maniacal shout of "CHEESE!" that came with a flash of light and the appearance of the Daedric prince of Madness himself, before much more could happen however Aralas had been thrust behind two women whose hands were now filled with magic that, while unable to kill him would really hurt the immortal being "Now, now girly what's with the fire" he cried, his face arranged in an expression of mock hurt "You'd think we aren't friends or something" he continued grinning again.

"Why are you here Sheogorath" Silandra said in a low and quiet voice that usually meant someone was going to die, she hadn't made it to be the listener of the dark brotherhood and the guild master of the thieves by yelling threats. "I'm just here to drop off a few things, like a present for the lad, and a book for you. The mentioned items appeared on the table beside them "oh and Nocturnal says hi. Now must dash, got things to do, dreams to mess with, madmen to sponsor and cheese to eat."

With that he flashed out leaving a very confused Stillglade family and Vampire behind. Gingerly Silandra picked up the book first "Inter-dimensional portals for dummies?" she read off of its canary yellow and black striped cover, opening it to the first page she also saw "Make sure you send your reply as soon as possible, you'll know what I mean" she shrugged and set the book down again before turning to the letter. It was made of fine heavy parchment, the kind used be jarls and kings for formal invitations.

Her eyes widened as she read the letter, it was written in a strange form of imperial and she really had to concentrate to understand it. "It's for you Aralas" she said handing the sealed envelope to her son. After he cast a curious glance at the coat of arms pressed into the purple sealing wax, he cracked it open and began to struggle out the letters contents.

"Dear Mr. Stillglade, we are hereby pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to attend Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry." Here he looked up at his mother questioningly who shook her head indicating she didn't know, Serana made a similar gesture, Aralas continued to sound out the unfamiliar script and after he had finished it he looked at his mother and aunt "What does it mean mama?" he asked, his green eyes large and confused "I don't know little one but I think it may have something to do with were you come from" Silandra told him gravely.

She had told Aralas of how he had come to be her son on his eighth nameday in case something like this would happen. "But know this that you don't need to decide tonight. Let's finish opening your other presents and we'll eat the sweet rolls Serana brought and decide in the morning." She leaned in and kissed his forehead "how does that sound little Dov?" Aralas' brows furrowed as he thought, but eventually the promise of presents and sweets won out and they spent the rest of the evening as they had planned.

Serana gave him an elven dagger and a book from the Volkihar library on dangerous animals of Akavir she had copied, Silandra's colleagues at the collage had sent him books and a little staff of magelight just for him, the companions had sent him his own set of wolf armour that Silandra had enchanted to grow with him, promises of lessons had followed the included training sword and shield that her friends in the legion had sent him, a new collection of eagle feathers for his hair had come from the dark brotherhood (not that he knew what they were) and uncle Brynyolf and Aunt Karliah had sent him a jewelled pendant that they promised they hadn't stolen. After the gifts they sang songs by the fire, ate the sticky sweet rolls and drank Altmer tea that Silandra kept for special occasions.

Eventually Silandra had carried the sleepy child off to bed, helped him with his prayers to Y'ffre and Auri-el and sang him his favourite song, the tale of tongues.

When she came out of her sleeping child's room, her worries became evident on her face again "What should I do Serana?" she pleaded taking the glass of mead the vampire held out to her "you told Aralas that it was his choice, so follow through with that." Serana told her firmly "this Hogwarts is from his birth world, and as such a part of his birthright. Let him learn something of his heritage on the other side. From what you said his birth mother loved him deeply. See this as a fulfillment of her wishes."

Silandra nodded and took a sip of her mead "up for a game of Cards?" she asked, with a crooked smile Serana nodded. They played into the night, but after Serana went to bed Silandra wandered, her beast blood keeping her from sleep. Eventually she picked up the book and began to read. Hours passed as she committed the contents to memory in the way that magical tomes forced the reader.

When Magnus peaked his head above the horizon, Aralas stumbled downstairs rubbing his eyes with his fists. Silently she led him out to the shores of the lake and together they bathed then sat and meditated watching the sun climb up out of the lake until it shone warmly down on them, promising a hot day. As they walked back inside she broached the subject of the night before with her unusually quiet son "I can make us a portal to go to this Hogwarts and meet with their arch-mage" she told him "I also will understand if you wish to attend there instead of the collage. In a way it may even be beneficial, see what kind of mages your birth parents were" She smiled at her son who looked at her hopefully "really?" he asked in a small voice "really" she told him firmly and hugged him, pressing her lips against his freshly washed hair as his arms wrapped around her waist.

"Let's go get dressed and I'll whistle us up a portal to this Hogwarts" she told him. Aralas broke the hug and nodded, his usual exuberance surfacing again as he grinned at her "Race you to the house" she told him and began sprinting back toward the manor.

* * *

Dumbledore looked around his office at the many glittering devices that lined the shelves, incident that had occurred last night had kept him up to all hours of the night, which coupled with his belief that this Aralas Stillglade was really Harry Potter hade successfully held all attempts at slumber at bay. Now he and Minerva were waiting to see what would come of it. The clock struck eight and a glowing purple and blue portal appeared in his office. Both he and Minerva pointed their wands at it and braced themselves for whatever would come out of it.

A tiny woman in what looked to be a combination of black armour and formal deep blue robes and a gold and blue gemmed circlet with a curving black sword and two daggers swinging from her belt strode out of the portal. She glanced around the room and fastened her eyes on the professors, the staring contest lasted for almost a minute before she turned to the portal and called in a heavily accented English "you can come, It is safe" a small boy who looked to be around eleven years old in a deep green tunic and black leggings with brown boots and a simple iron dagger hopped out of the portal to join the woman who was obviously his mother. They shared the same seep bronze shin and angular face shape, though she had deep glittering amber eyes whilst his were forest green.

The startling thing about them however, was their ears, long and pointed, far more elegant then a house elf's. On the woman they looked regal and proper, but on the child they were a little oversized and truth be told looked absolutely adorable. Even Minerva McGonagall, immune to the wiles of children, found herself smiling at the child's ears.

"Greetings I assume you are Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall." The woman said in a rich mezzo, her cat like amber eyes flicking between the two of them. "Yes I am Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of this school, and this is Professor McGonagall, my deputy" Minerva nodded with a polite "how do you do." The woman bowed slightly from the waist "I am Arch-mage Silandra Stillglade of Valenwood, thane of Skyrim, Harbinger of the Companions and Dragonborn." She gestured at her son "and this is my son Aralas" the young boy bowed formally and said "greetings" politely.

Dumbledore put on his best grandfatherly smile "Ah yes, are you here to confirm his place in our school?" he asked curiously "that all depends on whether or not he and I find your school acceptable" the woman said sternly, Dumbledore nodded and conjured up two chairs for them "please sit" he invited, twinkling his eyes at them. But the woman held a hand out to the boy, stopping him from sitting, she lifted her right hand which was now filled with blue light and cast it over the two chairs, cocking her head at them and frowning in puzzlement and ignoring the stares of the two British magicals who were absolutely shocked at her casual wandless and wordless magic.

After a few seconds she nodded and released the spell gesturing to her son to sit before doing so herself. "Now then too business" she said steepling her fingers "My son has already been invited to the Collage of Winterhold in Skyrim. So tell me why he should attend your school?" Dumbledore blinked "We are the finest magical school in all of Britain a" he told her proudly.

Silandra raised a slanted black brow at him and said "this is meant to impress me? Perhaps it would if I knew where Britain was or anything about it." The two professors gasped "as it is" she continued "I wish to know why you have my son enrolled in you school." Dumbledore cleared his throat "where are you from if you don't know where Britain is?" he asked cautiously.

The boy Aralas responded in a tone that seemed to be as if speaking to an idiot "From Nirn of course, Mother created a portal after Sheogorath delivered the letter last night" this statement threw the headmaster and he probed further "Nirn you say? I have never heard of it" the woman snorted "Just because you have never heard of it does not mean that it does not exist" she told him a little frostily. The headmaster nervously cleared his throat again "Well children are usually enrolled in our school either through their parents or because we are the closest magical school. As you say that you already have a school I will assume it is through your son's father that his name is on our list. Would you tell us who his father is?" Dumbledore asked hopefully, perhaps he was the woman's son by blood adoption, that meant there was still a chance he was Harry Potter.

"My son's father was from this world yes." She snapped "but no I will not tell you his name. That is private and will remain so." The room was silent for a moment before she spoke again "What schools of magic are taught here?" she asked McGonagall took this question "the main classes are Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, History of Magic, Astronomy, Herbology and Defence against the dark arts with extra curriculum of Runes, Arithmancy, Care of Magical creatures and Divination" she listed and Silandra cocked her head to the side "can you describe what you accomplish in each class?" she asked, her mind clearly moving at a high speed as she devoured facts. After twenty minutes whereby the two professors gave a rundown of the kind of magic performed in each class Silandra held up her hand to halt them "My final two questions are what are the school terms and fees like?" she questioned "the children study here for ten months of the year starting in September and running through too May and the yearly tuition is around two thousand galleons" Dumbledore answered smiling.

Almost immediately Silandra looked confused "May I see your calendar and a galleon?" she asked pulling a small book from a satchel the hung from her shoulder Dumbledore conjured up a calendar while McGonagall fished a galleon out of her pocket and handed both items to Silandra who looked at them very carefully, weighing the coin in her hand experimentally before pulling out a coin from her pocket and observing the difference in weight and quality before she turned to the calendar and compared it to a page in her book, flicking between several pages and muttering to herself in a language they couldn't understand.

Finally she looked up "so from hearthfire to Second seed he would study here? She asked showing the page of her book to her son who copied his mother's habit of cocking his head to the side and considering what was written there. "I believe so yes" Dumbledore hedged. The awkward silence prevailed for several minutes before she stood "We wish to take a tour of your school" she commanded, Dumbledore nodded "oh course, Minerva?" he asked turning to look at his deputy, who nodded with a small smile "it would be my pleasure" she informed Silandra and Aralas.

As the left Dumbledore stealthily sent a weak cutting charm at the boy's hand. The tiniest of cuts appeared and a drop of blood oozed out and fell to the floor. A swift healing charm followed, then the door shut. Quickly Albus leapt up and using magic, levitated the drop of blood into a conjured vial before pulling out a piece of parchment that had been steeped in a lineage revealing potion.

He shook the drop of blood out of the vial and into a small jar of ink, which he then poured onto the parchment. Thin lines began to draw themselves on the page, forming names. At the bottom was the boy's name, connected by a double line that meant blood adoption, to the name Silandra Kavira Elthiria Stillglade, her name in turn was attached to a family tree stretching back several generations.

But to the left where a father's name would be were two names: James and Lily Potter attached to the illustrious Potter family tree. Dumbledore sat back, deep in thought. Harry Potter had survived, and now he was back, the blood adopted child of a being from another dimension, perhaps that was the power he knew not. All Albus knew now was that Voldemort was not truly dead, and now that harry, he shook his head, Aralas was back, then Voldemort would be returning too. He stood and walked over to Fawkes and gently stroked his crimson feathers "We need to visit Nick" he told the bird who nodded and the two of them vanished in a swirl of fire.

* * *

Aralas' head was spinning, this school was HUGE, almost as big as Castle Dour. Lady McGonagall led through its dizzying halls with moving portraits and swivelling staircases. It took all his discipline to not jabber questions at her like a mad man. Finally they had returned to the Arch-mage's study but found it empty. So mama and he bid a formal farewell and opened a portal back home.

Dinner was a quiet affair, the venison was delicious but it was just the two of them. Serana had gone back to castle Volkihar that morning before they had left, and their steward Aela and bard Sven, were still off getting supplies. After he had helped his mother cleanup he went outside, swinging up into the branches of one of the tallest trees that overlooked the lake. He found his favorite spot and curled up against the trunk watching the sun set, thinking.

He had known for years that Silandra wasn't his birth mother, but he hadn't cared, blood didn't mean anything, who you loved was your family mama said. But now confronted with such an obvious sign that he wasn't from Nirn bothered him. The branch next to him shivered slightly and he looked over to see his mother sitting next to him, her back against the trunk, one leg hanging casually down with her arms resting on the other knee that she had pulled up and rested her chin on her folded arm, her amber eyes staring pensively across the lake that now glittered like molten gold.

" I'm scared mama" he whispered following her gaze at the magical sight that he had known most of his life "What do you fear?" she asked gently "that is I go to this school that I will never be allowed to come home." He said brokenly, a tear slipping free from his left eye and tracing a path down his cheek. "Aralas I went to Sovahngard to fight the world eater. Do you think for a moment that I would do any less for my son?" she asked him "but I'm not really your son" he sobbed, his fear finally outing itself as he broke down sobbing into his arms.

A pair of warm and familiar arms wrapped themselves around his shaking shoulders and he instinctively snuggled into the comforting embrace "Says who?" she asked him "I think your my real son, just as Serana is my sister. I don't care about blood, if I wanted to be around people obsessed with bloodlines I would have stayed in the dominion. I choose my family, and I chose you to be my son. As long as you want to be my son, you will be. But I love you no matter where you came from or what your ears looked like before you were mine."

She kissed the top of his head and rocked him gently. The sun had long set by the time his crying eased "I want to go to this Hogwarts" he said looking up into her eyes "but can I still study in Winterhold as well?" he asked, Silandra smiled at him "of course, J'zargo won't let you go that easily, he's been begging me to let him teach you all his tricks since you conjured your first fire ball at age three. We'll just have to get you to train with him during the summer and holidays." She smiled at him "If it's what you truly want, we will send them your acceptance and begin getting you ready to attend their school."

He grinned and hugged her tightly then he looked up and smiled, pointing at a particular cluster of stars "the apprentice" he said smiling "your birth sign, the mark of the mage" Silandra agreed "the gods approve."

* * *

A/N Many thanks to Mystborn for the idea of Sheogorath shouting cheese when he appears.

If you think Aralas is acting a little young, think back to when you were ten and eleven. I don't know about you guys but I oscillated between using words like atrocious and eating dirt so really its not that big of a stretch to believe that around his mother and aunt he acts a little more childishly then when he is around strangers be they his own age or adults.

I have decided to make Dumbledore a well meaning meddler who is obsessed with the prophecy and is trying to figure out how he can control the outcome because Dumbledore knows what is best for the "Greater Good". Ron will be an insensitive jerk in the beginning because Aralas is an elf and Ron can't seem to understand the difference between Bosmer and house elf. I think I'll make him come around in the end... maybe after the troll incident.

Enjoy!

Safe travels, Trojan Seeress


	3. Diagon Ally

**Chapter 2 Diagon Ally**

The swirling purple and blue portal appeared at the gate way of Diagon ally and out stepped Silandra, Aralas and Farkas. The armour and sword that Silandra had worn during their meeting a few days before was replaced by tight black leather pants, high black boots and a tight navy blue, leather sleeveless shirt with a hooded pulled up to hide her ears. A pair of tooled leather bracers and belt bearing her daggers and satchel completed the eye catching ensemble. Aralas was dressed similarly except he wore brown and green, with his new elven had matching pale grey clan paint on their faces tracing the wide tear trails down their faces, just barely visible.

Farkas loomed over the mother and son wearing a red linen tunic, brown wool breeches and simple brown boots, his Steel great sword hanging from its sheath on his back. He looked around the ally that was beginning to fill up with shoppers and crossed his arms with a snort "this place looks like Riften during market day" he commented, sweeping his gaze across the hordes of shoppers who had yet to notice the new arrivals.

"Thank you for agreeing to come Farkas" Silandra said to the big Nord.

"No worries shield-sister. I'm always willing to help out you and the pup" he reached down as if to ruffle the boy's hair but stopped because of the hood, opting to put a hand on his shoulder instead "besides I'm not about to let you go running off on a new adventure without me."

Silandra smiled at him before casting her eyes over the crowd. "I need the two of you to stay here for a few minutes." Farkas raised an eyebrow at the elf who grinned and looked at her son "stay with Farkas, Aralas. Mamas going fishing." With that she melted into the throng of people, Farkas rolled his eyes and Aralas smiled as he caught glimpses of his mother ghosting through the crowd. He knew what she was doing and hoped she would let him join in the fun too, very carefully he let his fingers brush against the coin purse a blond aristocrat who looked remarkably like an Altmer, right down to the arrogant expression. Soft as a sigh he pulled out two gold coins and slipped them into his own pocket smiling innocently at Farkas who shook his head at the boy's antics, like mother like son.

Ten minutes later Silandra reappeared smiling like a cat that had just had a large saucer of cream. "Let's go the bank shall we?" she told the two of them and led them to a large snowy white building at the end of the street.

Aralas looked at his mother and said innocently "can I spend some of my allowance mother?"

Silandra looked at her son with suspicion "how much did you bring?" she asked him, her eyes twinkling. Proudly Aralas pulled the two coins from his pocket and held them up for his mother to examine. Any other mother would have been horrified at the thought of their child picking pockets, but Silandra was not most mothers. At seeing the fruits of her son's efforts, she smiled proudly "of course you can."

They halted at the steps of the bank and she turned to her companions "why don't you two explore for a bit, don't get anything yet. I'll be a little while" she turned back towards the steps and smiled in what Aralas recognized as her "gold" face. Her eyes would widen innocently and she would exude a sort of fragile naiveté that lulled even the most hardened merchant into a false sense of security, just before she robbed them blind without them even realising it.

Silandra walked up the steps with a confident stride, passing the two heavily armed goblins on either side of the door. She had always wondered if Akatosh had been drunk when he had made her Dragonborn; Dragons horded power and Bosmers horded shiny things, put them together and you got a kleptomaniac Bosmer with a serious thirst for power. As she passed through the second set of doors she smirked mentally at the warning on the wall:

Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn.

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there.

Really, she mused, that was just daring her to try, poems and warnings were like a giant flashing sign say "Steal me steal me" to thieves like her.

She walked up to an unoccupied teller and waited to be acknowledged, rule number one: never antagonise the ones who kept your shiny things safe. The goblin looked up "I am teller Witherclaw, how may I help you?" he asked in a bored tone.

"I would like to set up and account and convert some coins" she told him politely

"Under what name?" came the uninterested question

"Thane Silandra Stillglade" she informed him, rule number two: Names could be as effective as any blade.

The Goblin wrote the title down "what form of money would you like to convert" he said, still filling out forms.

"This" she replied placing an ordinary one Septim coin on the desk in front of his ledger. The goblin looked up and his eyes widened "what kind of coin is that?" he asked picking it up and examining it carefully.

"That is an Imperial Septim" she informed him again putting on her best "gold" face, rule number three: the gods gave talents for a reason, use everything you have.

The goblin looked from the coin to her then back at the coin again "Am I right in thinking that Thane is a noble title?" the goblin asked furrowing his brow at her.

She smiled sweetly "Yes, it's one of my many titles. The others include: Arch-mage of the Collage of Winterhold, Harbinger of the Companions, Dragonborn, slayer of Alduin, Mirrak and Harkon, Legate of the Imperial legion and Lady of the Ancient and powerful Bosmeri house of Stillglade in Valenwood."

The goblin cocked his head to the side "you wish to open account. May I suggest making some investments?" Silandra blinked imperiously, rule number four: silence can be more powerful then speech.

She grinned inside her head, her dragon soul was thrumming with pleasure, there was power and coin to be had, and out loud she said "You may."

* * *

It was a little over an hour later that Silandra strode out of a building with a smug self-satisfied smile on her face. Aralas and Farkas were waiting for her, having walked the length of the ally but not entered any shops.

Silandra grinned at them and pulled the school list from her satchel that now contain two thousand galleons and a key to a vault that now housed a growing crop that had sprung from nearly ten thousand Septims, a mere drop in the ocean that was Silandra's fortunes with an already growing interest.

The first few stores they went too were almost identical to their Nirnian counterparts, quills and ink, parchment and notebooks, but as they stood in the doorway of a store called Flourish and Blotts, Farkas realized that he was doomed.

Everyone in Skyrim knew of the infamous Book Thief, a criminal that had struck across the province, sweeping homes and palaces clean of their literature. Few knew that Silandra was the Mer responsible. Ruined books, tattered books, fact and fiction; no literary work was safe where the Dragonborn was concerned, and she had passed that vice to her son. The two Stillglades leapt into action, buying so many books that the clerk had almost fainted as she rang up the total. No subject was safe from their pillage of the shelves, and Farkas ended up heaving the large enchanted bags through the streets.

The apothecary earned a sniff of derision (followed swiftly by a gag at the stench) from Silandra who none the less purchased the necessary supplies. Telescope, and safety equipment (the dragon skin gloves had Aralas snarling and Silandra nearly incinerating the poor shop assistant) and various miscellaneous items, until they stood outside a shop that proclaimed "Madam Malkin's robes for all occasions."

His mother looked at the list and back up at the sign, her brow furrowed "I think it would be best if we waited outside, if they're anything like Radiant's then we'll just make a mess by all of us cramming in there" she told the other two quietly, Aralas nodded and entered the shop.

Inside a matronly Breton woman in magenta robes bustled up to them "Hello, Hogwarts dear?" she asked, Aralas nodded and was soon whisked away and deposited on a stool "We have another boy here as well, won't be but a moment" she told him before hurrying off the find some robe.

A pale imperial boy with platinum pair and pale grey eyes was standing over on the other stool with another witch pinning his robes. "Hello" said the boy "Hogwarts too?"

"Yes" Aralas replied, Madam Malkin came back and looked at the hood covering his head.

"I'm afraid that you will have to take your hood off young man" she told him lifting the robes as if to emphasise her point. With a sigh Aralas pulled the hood off and set it on the ground next to his stool, Madam Malkin slipped the robes over his head and got to work.

"What happened to your ears?" the pale boy demanded "some kind of magical alteration?" there was a hint of disgust in his voice.

"No" Aralas informed him frostily "these are my natural ears, I'm Bosmer, a wood elf, a Mer, and as such I have pointed ears."

Malkin left to get more pins and the boy's face now looked as if a skeever had just crawled out of sewer in front of him "You're not human and they are letting you into Hogwarts?" he asked incredulously "the school must really be going to the dogs." Aralas's eyes narrowed to dangerous slits; but the boy took no notice as he continued to verbally dig his own grave. As the other witch finished with the pale boys robes and he hopped off the stool he turned to give one last parting shot "my father is on the board of governors, he won't let a non-human freak like you stay in Hogwarts long."

That did it, Aralas breathed deeply through his nose and pulled on the power he had inherited from his mother "BOVUL!" [Flee] he shouted at the boy.

A wave of energy visible only to him swept across the distance and enveloped the boy who let out a terrified shriek and pelted out of the shop like Dagon himself was behind him. Malkin had just come around the partition too see the boy's flight and looked curiously at the impassive elf on the stool.

The door banged open and let in a defensive Farkas and a snarling Dragonborn with flaming hands ready to rain death and destruction on the one who had dared lay a hand upon her child; "something had made her hatchling shout", her dragon soul snarled, turning her eyes a glowing gold as it reared to the surface, "kill the threat" it demanded roaring and clawing at her mind. Seeing nothing wrong and her hatchling safe, she wrestled the dragon back into her subconscious and she smiled apologetically at the quivering woman who stood near her son.

"My deepest apologies Gentle lady" she soothed, calling upon the skills she had honed in among the bards "I was concerned for my son's safety when I heard him shout and I'm afraid I over reacted." Farkas bowed and muttered a similar apology. Slowly the Madam Malkin retrieved her calm, seeing as the two adults in front of her had now adopted a nonthreatening pose. Taking a deep breath she finished the young boy's fitting and saw them out.

Once the door had closed behind them however she summoned a bottle of Firewhiskey and took a swig straight from the bottle to calm her nerves.

* * *

Outside the shop Silandra and Farkas looked at Aralas sternly "any particular reason you shouted at the boy we saw sprinting out of there?" she asked him with a dangerous glint in her eye.

"He challenged me, he called me a non-human freak" Aralas said defensively "I couldn't let the challenge go unanswered I don't want to be called a freak" he said more quietly.

Farkas frowned and Silandra rubbed the bridge of her nose "Aralas, we are Dovahkiin, we have powers that others can only dream of. But you can't let your Dovah Sil [dragon soul] drive you to dominate others. When you shout you are summoning power from Auri-el himself, you cannot use this power lightly. Have you learned nothing from the greybeards?" Aralas's head hung in shame "when we get home you will climb the seven thousand steps to High Hrothgar and explain to master Arngeir why you are there and take whatever punishment he gives you, understood?" she told him flatly.

Then she sighed seeing the tears beginning in his eyes and put a hand on his shoulder, "You are my son, a member of the Stillglades. Do you remember our family's motto?" she asked him, obediently he recited "There is an arrow for every occasion" Silandra nodded "you used the wrong arrow in this battle, and because of that you may lose the war. Come, we have one more stop to make."

The more somber group made their way to a shop with peeling gold letters reading "Olivander's, makers of wands since 382 B.C."

A small bell tinkled above the door as they entered the dusty shop. The air inside reminded Aralas of a mix between an ancient crypt, a Spriggan grove and the Arcanum in the collage. The smells of wood, fur and dust making him want to sneeze.

"Who do we have here?" a voice echoed from the depths of the shop and a man with large moonlike eyes stepped from the shadows "It has been a very long time since I have seen Mer." He murmured "Especially one of the wood folk, you have come to purchase a wand?" he asked.

Silandra stepped forward and spoke "I am Dragonborn Silandra Stillglade, thane of Skyrim and Legate of the Imperial legion. Identify yourself" she commanded.

The man's eyes widened and he quickly bowed "Balen Olivandus, my lady, of the cult of the Ancestor Moth" he said.

Farkas frowned and crossed his arms again "What's a moth priest doing here?" he asked.

"Alas I do not know how I came here, but I believe I was sent here by the Elderscroll that I had the chance to read. Though it did blind me, it also gave me new sight, the ability to read the magica currents. Since then I have made my living here among these wizards" the moth priest recounted sadly.

"I can make you a portal back to Nirn if you wish" Silandra told him, but the priest shook his head.

"My life is here now. But I must tell you that if you wish a wand for your son you will need Nirnian material, the mediums of this world do not handle wild Nirnian magic well. Also I assume that you both adhere to the green pact?" both of them nodded "then I would suggest a bone wand, do you have a spirit animal child?" he asked and Aralas nodded "dragon" and Silandra reached through her satchel muttering to herself before she pulled out a dragon rib bone.

"That will do nicely, but I will need the hair of a magical creature for the core, the more powerful the better" he said examining the bone.

"I am a blessed of Hircine and a Dragonborn, would my fur do as a core?" Silandra asked cocking her head to the side.

Olivander thought for a moment "yes it would, can you transform here?" Silandra crouched down and seemed to writhe for a few seconds before she shifted shape and remained crouching, a large jet black wolf with dark amber eyes and a faint pattern on her fur that looked like scales in silver.

Carefully Olivander motioned to Aralas "Pluck some of the hairs on her crest" he instructed, confidently Aralas put a hand on his mother's warm fur and pulled a handful of the longer stiff black and silver hairs and handed them to Olivander. With a grunt the wolf shifted back into his mother who shook herself after the uncomfortable change.

"I must measure the boy to ensure the wand fits, young man will you stand on this spot please." Aralas did as instructed and found himself held in place by a floating tape measure that whirled around him measuring everything about him, from the length of his arms to the distance between his nostrils. After a good ten minutes of this Olivander looked up from a pad of paper he had been sketching on and said "that's enough" the tape measure fell to the floor in a crumpled heap and he looked up at the family "it will take some time to craft this, if you could return in three days I will have it ready by then."

Silandra bowed "thank you for your time wise one, we will leave you to your work." Aralas and Farkas bowed as well and left the shop, opening a swirling portal to the amazement of the passing shoppers and hopping back through too Nirn.

* * *

A/N- there the burning question has been answered, the dragon soul is hereditary. Thank you to everyone who has read and commented on my story, I am toying with pairings in my head for around third-fourth year. As to those who will scream about the holly wand think on this: the magic of Nirn is very wild, mediums just aren't practicle for Nirnian magic. Aralas got a huge magica boost due to his dual citizenship and his being Dovahkiin. A wooden wand from earth would burst into flames, also the green pact means that no plant can be harmed. I'm going to drive snape nuts with that. So a bone wand makes sense. next will be a rest of the summer chapter, and Serana is going to give Aralas a gift, something that was not purchased in Diagon... care to guess?

Safe travels! Trojan Seeress


	4. Home and Hearth

**Chapter 3- Home and Hearth**

Aralas stood at the base of the steps in Ivarstead dreading what was to come. It was late summer but the high mountain hair was still chilly, he pulled his fur lined woollen cloak around him tighter.

The path had been safe to pilgrims ever since his mother had become a thane in the Rift, patrols kept the wolves and trolls at bay, but Aralas would be safe anyway, he had his dagger and his magica.

Sighing he began to trudge up the steps, he knelt at each shrine and offered a prayer to each of the Bosmeri pantheon, he recited the ancient text his mother had made him memorize, he meditated on what he would say to master Arngeir when he reached the summit, in short he repented.

One thing Silandra had realised when he was an infant, was that her son had inherited her Dovah Sil, she had worked hard to help him master his urge to dominate, turning that drive into a thirst for knowledge and physical prowess. But the punishments had to help him master himself, so she had turned back to her Bosmeri roots, teaching Aralas to follow the green pact, reading Bosmeri texts to him, instilling the woodland discipline she had learned as a child but abandoned during her adult years.

She had also turned to the Greybeards to help him learn the discipline needed to control his Thu'um. Weeks spent in the drafty monastery meditating on the voice had helped and it was now to those masters she sent him again to punish him for his selfish use of the gift.

When a shivering Aralas knocked on the massive bronze doors, he breathed deeply, trying to calm his racing heart. The left door opened to reveal master Bori who looked at him with a kind smile, Aralas had always liked Bori. Aralas handed the greybeard his mother's letter, which Bori opened and read. Looking up afterwards at Aralas with an expression of disappointment before gesturing for him to follow.

After shutting the door behind the young Bosmer, Bori led him into the sanctuary. Master Arngeir was kneeling in the center room meditating, Bori approached him and handed him the letter, which he read then stood and turned to look at the boy with wise eyes "I have read your mother's words. Explain to me why you are here" he whispered, but the sound still made the stones tremble.

With a bowed head Aralas answered "I used my Thu'um for selfish reasons, an undefended boy's words caused me anger and I allowed that anger to control me." His voice trembled with shame for his actions.

"What was the shout you used?" Arngeir pressed implacably.

"Bovul" Aralas whispered. Arngeir stood there for a moment then rendered his judgement "you will fast for the next three days and meditate on your use of the Thu'um and your temper. On the fourth day you shall skyshout from dawn till dusk as punishment for using you Thu'um so casually. After that you will meditate for three more days on the words kah, bonaarom, and meyar-imaar [pride, humility, self-control]. Once you have done that you may return home."

Aralas bowed low from the waist "Yes master Arngeir"

* * *

A week later, Aralas met his mother at the bottom of the seven thousand steps. She smiled at him "are you alright?" she asked him, approaching him slowly with her arms outstretched, giving him the option to refuse embrace.

Aralas moved to hug her as hard as he could and said in a voice muffled by her clothes and slightly horse from the constant shouting "I'm sorry, I know what I did was wrong. Can I come home now?"

Silandra leaned down and kissed his forehead "Yes you can, Serana and Aela said that they want to show you something when we get home." Aralas nodded and together the set off to where two horses waited. When arrived home, near nightfall Silandra told him "Whilst you were with the greybeards I went back to that wizard market Diagon ally, I picked up your wand and visited the bank" Aralas nodded and followed her inside.

"Aela we're home!" called Silandra. Aela the huntress looked up from where she was sitting near the fire conversing with Serana "good to see you again Shield-sister" she replied and grunted slightly from the impact of Aralas running forward to hug her, then Serana.

The evening progressed as they usually did, quietly. After they had finished the evening meal, which consisted of a lot of meat and very little else (two werewolves, two Bosmer and a vampire make for a very carnivorous diet), Silandra brought out a long thin box and handed it to Aralas "Serana and I visited before it was done and asked to add somethings" she told him.

"It now also contains some of my hair" Serana told him as he pulled out an eleven inch long elegant bone wand covered in Bosmeri motifs of the hunt and forest.

A small tag fluttered to the ground, Aralas picked it up and read:

 _dragon bone, eleven and a half inches core of Dragonborn werewolf fur and daughter of Cold Harbour hair. Solid, good for conjuration and nature based charms._

He grinned as he wrapped his hand around the hilt, a warmth suffused his body and he felt the power emanating from the wand, instinctively he brought it up and slashed it diagonally like a blade. Blue green and red sparks flashed from the tip, cracking like one of J'zargo's experiments. The three women applauded and Serana smiled mysteriously at him "your letter says you can bring and Owl, Cat or Toad" she told him grinning.

She went to his mother's armoury with Aela and they both came back with something hidden behind their backs.

Serana stepped forward "I found her hanging around the castle and had a Bosmer friend of mine ask her if she wanted to be your post owl" she brought her hands out from behind her back and showed him the young snowy owl, recently fledged from the nest blinking solemnly at him.

"G _reetings wing Sister"_ Aralas greeted her in beast speech " _will you do me the honour of accompanying me to a school and act as a liaison between my family and me during the school year"_

The owl blinked at him " _I would be happy too, wood brother"_ she hooted and jumped to his shoulder, running her sharp beak through his hair and churring softly.

Aela smiled "you shouldn't go alone, and he is technically a cat" she said bringing a large snow saber cat kit out from behind her back.

Aralas grinned and reached out to stroke the large cat " _Snow brother I greet you"_ he said.

The cat purred _"I was told you were going on an adventure, can I join you wood brother?"_ the kit asked hopefully.

Aralas smiled _"yes, let's see what the future holds snow brother."_ Aela put the Kit into Aralas's arms and smiled as the kit butted its head against Aralas's chest purring. He would be a big one when he got older, even now he was the size of a large housecat.

Silandra smiled at her son and held up a two talismans "I've been working on these, they are portal keys, one goes on you and the other can go on your wing-sister so she can carry messages between us, its word activated so all I need to do is key in a password for the two of you and you can come home if you need too."

That brought a big smile to Aralas's face and they spent the rest of the evening poring over his mother's library to find names for his new friends.

* * *

The remaining month before Hearthfire was filled with training, J'zargo drilled him relentlessly in his magic at the collage, working through every school at the novice level and forbidding him from using his wand, calling it a crutch.

His mother, with the help of her legion friends and the Companions, drove him at a ruthless pace for his training, working him through the sword, bow, shield and bare hands, ensuring he was in the best possible condition.

Then just when he thought he couldn't do anymore, Karliah would take him sneaking, taking him on jobs and sending him on his own, she believed in learning on the job. In any free time he had, he was studying his school texts and training in alchemy with Serana.

The end result was that his mind and body were exhausted and he need the three days of rest before the term stared on the first of Hearthfire. The snowy owl had ended up picking the name Hedwig from his school text about history, while the cat had chosen the name Snowpaw.

The three of them were inseparable, training and learning together as they prepared to enter Hogwarts. Hedwig carried letters between Silandra, Dumbledore and the ministry of Magic as she established her credibility and influence as the ambassador between the two worlds. Aralas was now protected from the racism that he had encountered on his day in Diagon ally, with Lucius Malfoy instructing Draco to befriend Aralas at the first opportunity.

General Rikke was insisting that several legionnaires be at the platform to act as an honour guard for when Aralas boarded the Hogwarts express for the first time. Silandra had protested but in the end acquiesced, she had been busy now with her negotiations with the Wizarding government and was acting as a liaison between the mages Collage and wizarding Britain.

All this happened subtlety as the existence of a world were everyone had magic was kept very quiet for fear of emigration.

Finally the big day had arrived and they were prepared to depart for the platform nine and three quarters, Silandra looked at the six legionnaires, two collage mages, Serana and Aralas who all stood around her, waiting for her to open the portal.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, channeling her power into her fist until she felt the spell reach critical, she discharged it into empty space, thinking firmly of her destination. The portal opened and she gestured to the Legionnaires to go through first. Serana cast a levitation spell on Aralas's trunk and walked through with his and Silandra with the mages following closely behind.

* * *

A/N- this is a short chapter, sort of a filler. so to the people who guessed rightly, yes they didn't get Hedwig from eylops. she was found flying around castle Volkihar. I added the saber cat for a laugh. I don't think McGonagall had a three hundred pound Saber cat in mind. true Snowpaw is a kitten now but he is pretty big. I decided to make it so that Nirn is going to enter into negotiations with the MoM and Aralas is going to be famous for being the first Nirnian student. Voldy is going to come after him because Aralas is always in the right spot to stop him and as such sets himself up as Voldy's biggest threat. Next chapter: the train ride. I'm at a bit of a loss at how to treat Draco, should he be redeemable? or should his natural superiority complex get in the way... thoughts?

Hope you like!

Safe Travels, Trojan Seeress


	5. Platform nine and three quarters

**Chapter 4- platform 9 ¾**

A large purple and blue portal appeared among the crowds of parents and student that filled the platform. All around, people turned and stopped to stare at it, waiting to see what would happen.

They didn't have to wait long. Six heavily armoured solders, four men and two women that looked startlingly similar to roman legionnaires with tower shields and pilum marched out.

They halted with military precision and turned to form a safe space in front of the portal. A tiny woman with bronze skin, amber eyes and elegant pointed ears, dressed in long navy blue robes and a green gemmed circlet strode out, followed by a young boy who was obviously her son, already dressed in Hogwarts robes with a snowy owl perched comfortably on his shoulder and a large white cat with grey spots trotting at his side.

A tall breathtakingly beautiful woman with snow white skin and glowing orange eyes followed him from the portal, her left hand glowing with a green light that swirled around the trunk that was floating alongside her in an amazing feat of wandless magic.

Behind her came a tall woman with sparkling golden skin, similar pointed ears, long white blond hair and electric blue eyes dressed in a set of short purple-blue robes and leggings. Dressed similarly to her was what could only be described as a walking cat, standing almost six feet in height he had deep amber brindled fur , a short mane and a collection of rings in both ears. The portal closed behind them and the entire party stood there for a moment with the crowd frozen watching them.

* * *

Silandra looked at the crimson metal contraption with a great deal of trepidation. It looked like a Dwemer construct she had encountered in Blackreach and those had a habit of trying to kill you. Steam belched from a smokestack at the front of the monstrosity like the joints from a Dwemer centurion and the platform was filled with a collection of parents and students, many with pets and dressed in robes. Silandra raised a brow in fascination at the scene, before shrugging and leading her party towards the back of the train.

Their movement seemed to wake the crowds and everyone hurriedly went back to their previous activities. Legionnaire Corvus handed his shield and pilum to one of his comrades and climbed into the last coach and found an empty compartment, he swiftly checked it over to make sure that his legate's son would have a safe journey and marked it with a quick magelight spell. He swiftly exited the coach and with the aid of legionnaire Hammer-hand he carried the youngling's trunk to the compartment and stored it in the overhead luggage rack provided. Exiting again he told Aralas the location of his things and regained his weapons and position in the formation with the extreme precision that was so iconic of the imperial army.

Aralas looked up at his mother with a sad face "I'm going to miss you mother. I wish I could just use the portals every night" he whispered to her. Silandra drew her hatchling into her arms "I know little one, but apparently there is a tradition that these wizards observe doing as they do will foster more trust, also if are too noticeably different, they will only resent you." She kissed his neatly brushed hair, smoothing the small braids that held his feathers and tucking stray strands behind his ears.

She pulled back a little but kept her hands resting on his shoulders, looking somberly into his deep green eyes "remember Aralas, you are a Stillglade, a Dovahkiin and most importantly, my son. We never do things the easy way and we earn everything. Accept no gifts and incur no debts. Follow your instincts and don't steal anything. Above all you must be true to yourself and do not let their attitude change you."

Aralas smiled at her "an arrow for every occasion" he quoted with a determined look on his face Silandra nodded "yes, and I have no doubt that you will stand firm in the face of all adversity."

She felt pride at the fire in his deep green eyes as he smiled and hugged her once more before, accepting a kiss on the forehead before letting go and turning to his aunt. "Bye Aunty Rana" he said, wrapping his arms around her waist. Serana smiled a little sadly and hugged him back. "Take care of yourself little dragon" she whispered in his ear "make lots of friends," she paused then added "especially with the smart ones, their more interesting and the best to have on an adventure."

They both grinned at this and he stood back, boing low from the waist at the two of them" farewell mother, aunt. May your journeys lead you to warm sands."

The two women grinned at hearing the traditional Khajiti phrase he had obviously learned from J'zargo and bowed back too him "May the Moons guide your steps" Silandra replied.

A whistle sounded, a clear warning that the train would soon depart and Aralas hopped onto the step smiling and waving at them all "farewell young Stillglade" one of the legionnaires called as they saluted him with the mages following suit.

Aralas returned the gesture, "Knock them dead' his mother called firmly as the train began to move. Aralas laughed and closed the train door, hurrying to his compartment he hung out the window and waved to his family. Slowly the train picked up speed as it pulled away, then it rounded a bend and he lost sight of them all.

* * *

Aralas sighed and closed the window, seating himself and pulling a book from his satchel. Hedwig had taken roost on the rail of the luggage rack and was now napping with her head tucked under her wing, Snowpaw had followed her example and was now curled up on his lap snoozing.

A few minutes later a round faced boy opened the door and looked hopefully in. "Excuse me, can I sit here? Everywhere else is full." His voice was tentative and shy with a slight tremor.

Aralas looked up "Of course, please, sit down" he gestured at the empty seat across from him. Gratefully the round faced boy heaved his trunk into the compartment and began to struggle to lift it up to a safe place.

Aralas saw his difficulty and hurriedly placed Snowpaw on the seat and stood to help. Together and with a great deal of effort the managed to stash the boy's trunk next too Aralas's, puffing and whipping their slightly sweaty faces.

"Can I sit with you too?" asked a girl's voice. The two boys turned and say a girl with bushy brown hair and large buck teeth standing in the corridor as well. Aralas and the round faced boy looked at each other and Aralas shrugged before nodding and they helped her heave her extremely heavy trunk up into the rack to join theirs.

Once everything was settled, the two newcomers got a look at Aralas's ears "Oh my goodness!" the girl exclaimed "you're an elf!" It was more of a statement then a question but Aralas nodded and bowed formally from the waist.

"Aralas Stillglade at you service" he introduced himself.

"Neville Longbottom" the round-faced boy said sticking out his hand awkwardly.

Recognizing the gesture as one used by the Nords, Aralas reached out and clasped the boy's forearm. The boy looked a little surprised at the gesture, but grasped Aralas's forearm back and smiled shyly.

"Hermione Granger" the girl supplied, offering her had like the boy had and accepting the strange forearm clasp instead.

As they all sat down Hermione began rapid firing questions at Aralas "are you really an elf? Where are you from? Are you immortal" Why are going to Hogwarts? Was your mother or father human? I didn't know that elves existed, the books never mentioned them."

Aralas held his hands up defensively and that halted the flood long enough for him to get a word in edgewise. "I am from the world of Nirn. I am a Bosmer which is commonly known as a wood elf. Elves or Mer are not immortal, though the Altmer wish they were. But we live longer then the races of men. I got my letter to Hogwarts because I had family that lived here and they put my name down when I was born. I am pure Bosmeri not a manmer, and I am the son of the ambassador for Nirn Silandra Stillglade."

Hermione's moth opened in a slight o "were you the one who had all the guards and came through that weird portal?" she asked him quickly.

"Yes" Aralas answered "my mother has been appointed the Imperial ambassador to earth and General Rikke insisted that I be given proper protection for my fist entry into the Wizarding education system."

Neville's eyes grew wide "My gran mentioned that, she said you guys are from a different plane of existence completely and it's only because you got your letter that our worlds are interacting at all" he told them in an awed voice.

Aralas nodded, "we were all really surprised because we had never heard of Hogwarts before and then suddenly there was a letter inviting me here. It's been a bit of a culture shock, on Nirn we don't have to keep magic secret, everyone can learn magic if they want. True some races have an easier time of it like the Altmer or the Bretons, but everyone from the mightiest emperor to the poorest beggar can learn the arcane arts."

Hermione and Neville gapped at him for a moment, before Hermione shook her head. "So you're from a different universe where magic is common place and elves exist" she said firmly, trying to cement it into her head.

"Yeah pretty much" Aralas told her with a lopsided grin.

"Do you have any books about it I can read?" she asked tentatively. Aralas recognised someone who liked to be well informed on a subject but tended to over compensate by memorizing everything.

He paused for a moment, she reminded him of his Aunty Rana, and maybe she would be his friend. He pulled his satchel around and starting to rummage through it.

The magica of the bag meant that he could store much more in the bag then was physically possible, and after a few moments he pulled out a green leather-bound book the size of a regular notebook. Emblazoned of the cover in black letters was the title:

A _history of Nirn: 4_ _th_ _era second century, Dragonborn edition_

This he handed to Hermione "But don't read it yet, let's talk first" he said smiling at them. Snowpaw chose that moment to leap onto the seat beside Aralas and begin grooming himself. "Oh I forgot to introduce you" he said to his new human friends, and swiftly remedied that, introducing them to his pets.

"But the rules say you can only have one pet!" Hermione said, scandalized.

Aralas grinned "I couldn't make him stay away even if I wanted too, he and Hedwig follow me everywhere." Snowpaw climbed back into his lap as if to emphasize the point and yawned widely, showing off his growing saber teeth that had yet to grow out of his mouth.

"Oh my" squeaked Hermione as she observed the cat's dental equipment. "That's a saber tooth tiger kitten" she told him fearfully.

"He's a snow saber cat, they said we could bring a cat, I'm bringing Snowpaw. Hedwig doesn't belong to me, she is with me to carry messages to my mother" Aralas said firmly.

Neville interjected before Hermione could continue of her line of thought "I have a toad my uncle gave me" he told them both shyly reaching into a pocket. His hand quested around in there for a moment, then his face fell "Oh no, Trevor's gone" he cried, looking franticly through his pockets.

"We'll help you find him. Hermione told him, laying her hand on the now teary eyed boy's shoulder and standing up "r…really?" the tearful boy asked, looking up at her and sniffing.

Aralas nodded "I think Snowpaw could help" he told them before nudging the can " _Snowpaw, this boy lost his animal-friend. Could you help us track it?"_ he asked the overlarge kitten.

Snowpaw blinked his gold eyes open and after a quick yawn, nodded " _I need the water prey's scent"_ he said jumping off Aralas's lap.

"He needs some of Trevor's scent, let him smell you pocket" Aralas told Neville, who complied, turning out his pocket for the cat to smell. Snowpaw snuffled over the exposed pocket, sneezed, sniffed again, then opened his mouth and began casting about the air, trying to catch the amphibian's scent.

After a few seconds the cat headed for the door that Hermione opened, and led the group down the train until they halted by the girls lavatory. Hermione followed the cat the rest of the way and emerged triumphantly a few minutes later clutching a toad and smiling at the cat who padded next to her. They retraced their steps back to their cabin where they began to get to know each other.

For Hermione, the fact that Aralas was from a different world was acceptable, strictly because she was already believing in magic, so why not other dimensions too, muggle science had already posited that other worlds could exist so it made sense really.

Neville was having a harder time with it, elves had always been servants to him, but Aralas looked nothing like a house elf, yes his ears were pointed and a little too big for his head, yes he was smaller than Neville and thin, yes he had large eyes. But there was something graceful and wild about him, like he would be more at home out of doors then cooped up inside a house.

So Neville made a choice, Aralas and Hermione hadn't laughed at him about having a toad for a pet, or when he had lost Trevor. They had, in fact helped him find his toad. They didn't treat him like a squib or an embarrassment and they didn't know who his parents were and so wouldn't compare him to them, so he decided then and there that if he could, then he wanted to be Aralas and Hermione's friend not knowing that the other two were hoping the same thing.

An hour or so had passed by when their compartment door opened, interrupting a rather funny story Aralas was telling them about his teacher at the college nearly blowing up his mother with an experiment. A tall, gangly boy with a shock of violently ginger hair poked his head in "Hey can I sit in here?" he asked.

The other three looked at each other and nodded, standing to help the boy lift his trunk up to join theirs. After they had settled down again he introduced himself "I'm Ron, Ron Weasely" he told them grinning. "Neville Longbottom"

"Hermione Granger"

"Aralas Stillglade" the others replied, smiling hopefully at the new boy.

"Did you guys see that rich git on the platform?" he asked them, this gained him some confusion.

"Git?" Aralas asked confused, not knowing that his ears were hidden by his hair that had moved forward when they were helping the boy with his trunk. "I'm unfamiliar with that word" he said turning to Hermione.

"Someone who is contemptible" she explained before turning back to Ron "Do you mean the family with the Legionnaires that came through the portal?" she asked.

"Legio-whatsits?" he asked blinking at them.

"Legionnaires, soldiers of a legion which is a unit in some armies" Hermione told him in a bossy voice "the Roman Empire was famous for their…"

Ron cut her off "Yeah those soldiers, the lady behind them was dressed in those really fine robes, flaunting their wealth and being all arrogant."

Aralas took a deep breath in through his nose, trying not to overreact and fry the red head. "I did not realise you knew the ambassador" he said in a tight voice that flew right over the other boys head.

"Nah, but you can tell an arrogant ponce like that from a mile away, we're probably gonna have to deal with him being a spoiled brat like Malfoy all year. Did you see his ears? Mother is probably half house elf to get ears like that..."

Whatever he had been about to say next was interrupted as Aralas stood abruptly, Ron caught sight of his ears and let loose a small "eep" of fright.

"In my homeland such insults would allow me to challenge you to a fight to the death using the weapons of my choosing. I will ask you to leave once before I hear another slanderous word spoken of my mother and my clan" he snarled at the red head who had turned a pale white and was beginning to stutter "Leave now!" Aralas yelled at him his dragon soul was raging against his mental barriers, longing to kill the insolent Joore, his left fist was filled with crackling flames that filled the air with the stench of brimstone.

Ron yelped and dashed out of the compartment and was nearly hit by his trunk that Aralas had telekinetically thrown after him. After the door had closed, Aralas sank back into his seat and looked down angrily, before he placed his hands on his knees and began reciting the mantras of the greybeards, bringing his temper back under control and stuffing his dragon back into his subconscious.

Hermione and Neville looked at each other a little fearfully before Hermione plucked up the courage to say "are you alright?"

Aralas looked up with sad eyes "sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. It's just he was insulting my mother and I couldn't let that go. My mother is not arrogant, she earned all her titles and then that… that imbecile, dared to say she was an entitled Altmer…urghhh" He said explosively. The other two looked at each other for a moment but swiftly changed the subject, pulling their new friend out of his funk.

A little while later there was a knock on the door by a plump elderly imperial woman pushing a trolley laden down with all manner of unrecognizable sweets. "Anything off the trolley dears?" she asked pleasantly.

Aralas and Hermione looked over the trolley with Neville, who explained everything to the other two. Eventually they settled back into their compartment each nibbling on a sweet. Neville was quite pleased with his box of Bertty Bott's every flavour beans and small pile of chocolate frogs while Hermione was enjoying a liquorice wand.

Aralas looked at his chocolate frog and the small stick of honey that he had found. "What is chocolate?" he asked his companions turning the gold and blue box around in his hands. Hermione and Neville were stumped, how did one explain chocolate?

Finally Hermione's book worm tendencies surfaced and she began to lecture the other two on the history and making of Chocolate. After her lecture Aralas looked even more dubious.

"So it's made with plants?" he asked looking up at the other two.

Hermione nodded "from the Cocoa tree, yes" she replied looking pleased with herself after her lecture.

Aralas sighed and placed the unopened box back down "then I can't eat it" he told them pulling out the honey stick and sucking on it absently.

"What do you mean you can't eat it?" Hermione asked "are you allergic?" this questioned made both Aralas and Neville furrow their brows in confusion.

"Allergic? What's that?" Neville asked her.

"It means if you eat or come into contact with a certain substance, you get sick" she told them impatiently before looking back at the Bosmer "well?" she demanded.

Aralas sighed " I can't because of the Green Pact" he told them, then seeing their confused looks, elaborated "The Green Pact is an oath that my race, the Bosmer made to our forest god Y'ffre, in return for his patronage we cannot kill, injure, or eat any vegetation" he explained "the Pact has four tenets:

First: we can only consume meat or animal based products.

Second: we are prohibited from using wood or other vegetable derivatives as building materials.

Third: We are forbidden to harm trees and plant life for our own betterment.

Fourth: it is forbidden to smoke anything of a vegetable nature.

My mother lets me bend the pact sometimes on special occasions like on my name day, but I don't feel good about breaking it casually, even my wand is made out of bone." He told them, becoming a little defensive towards the end.

Hermione blinked as she assimilated this new piece of information. "So your almost completely carnivorous?" she asked incredulously, Aralas nodded and Hermione sat back hard against the seat.

"But what about potions and herbology?" Neville asked "you have to work with plants and plant ingredients." Aralas's shoulders sagged a little.

"Yeah, Mother said I could bend for Potions, but herbology is about helping plants grow, so that is perfectly fine." He smiled a little, "can we change the subject?"

Neville and Hermione smiled "sure, you said your wand is made out of bone?" Neville asked and Aralas who grinned and pulled out his wand from the sheath on his belt that Aela had made him. Hermione and Neville oohed and ahhed over the intricate carvings, and Hermione demanded he explain their meaning, soaking up as much information about his culture as possible.

* * *

All was going well until the door opened for the third time, revealing the pale imperial boy from the robe shop and two thuggish looking boys, standing like book ends on either side of him.

"Hello" the boy drawled politely "I believe we've met but I didn't introduce myself properly. I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." His pale hair and skin, matched with his attitude made him very similar to an Altmer, Aralas decided, looking the boy calmly up and down before he stood and inclined his head.

"I am Aralas Parthunax Stillglade, Son of Silandra Kavira Elthiria Dovahkiin Stillglade" he replied formally "and I must apologise for shouting at you the last time we met."

"I'm here to offer you my help." The young Malfoy informed him, ignoring the elf's apology in favour of continuing his prepared speech. He sneered a little as he ran his eyes over Aralas' companions and ignoring the hissing Saber cat "I see you've fallen into some disreputable company. You'll find that some wizarding families are better than others. You don't want to go around making friends with the wrong sort. Or worse, Muggleborns." He said, turning back to the now enraged Aralas, once again ignoring the narrowed eyes and sharp breathing.

"I can help you there" Malfoy said smirking and extending his hand.

It took all of Aralas's considerable willpower to keep from hacking the offending limb off and torching this Altmer wanna-be to a crisp. Slowly and enunciating as crisply as he could through his clenched teeth "I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks" he ground out and slammed the door in the boy's now pink tinged face and throwing himself back down into his seat once more.

"Well that went well" Neville said nervously, looking at the now fuming elf who was rather aggressively reading his book again. He and Hermione looked at each other, shrugged, then began to read the history of Nirn together, picking their way through the strange spelling that was very reminiscent of old English, with Aralas occasionally chipping in or explaining something they didn't understand until it grew dark.

They had changed into their robes ages ago and were now peering through the dark window, hoping to catch a glimpse of Hogwarts.

"It's so weird that you only have one moon" Aralas told his friends, peering up at the silvery orb.

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him "well its weird that you have two" she informed him reaching out to stroke Snowpaw, who was sitting between her and Neville and purring contentedly. T

hey had, had an enjoyable ride despite Ron and Draco's appearances. Now the train was slowing and a voice echoed through the train informing them that they were five minutes from Hogsmead station.

Neville looked at his new friends. He still terrified about the upcoming sorting, yet he felt just a tiny sliver braver now that he had friends who accepted him. They had all spoken about their families, from Aralas's strict yet free up bringing in the wilds of Skyrim, to Hermione's dentist muggle parents and Neville's over bearing gran.

They somehow knew, in the way that children know things, that they would be friends for life.

The train slowed to a stop and Aralas looked sternly at Snowpaw and Hedwig " _Stay with my trunk, I don't think your allowed at the feast. Sorry guys_."

Snowpaw hmmphed and Hedwig glared at him " _You better make up for it later_ " Hedwig told him imperiously before settling on his trunk and glaring at him.

Hermione and Neville looked at him curiously "what is it?" Hermione asked.

"Hedwig is upset because she and Snowpaw can't come to the feast." He told them before standing "come on, I'm starved" he said leading the way off the train.

* * *

A/N- Oh God that Chapter was murder on the High Cs. I struggled so much with this one. So Now I feel I must explain myself to you all. SO PUT THOSE TORCHES AND PITCH FORKS DOWN NOW!

Now then, Neville is slightly less shy and Hermione is slightly less bossy. That is because I had a hard time writing that, but also because of the way Aralas is treating them.

Neville has met someone who doesn't give a flying Skeever's ass who Neville's parents are and expects nothing from him, allowing Neville's natural kindness and bravery to poke it's head out of his shell. Also Aralas didn't laugh at Trevor or mock Neville for having a toad. In fact he helped Neville find Trevor and never once called Neville clumsy or hopeless. This kind of kindness does wonders for a child's self-esteem, trust me I know.

Hermione is in a state that she has rarely ever been put in before in her young life. Book shock, she has been blindsided by something that she had no way of preparing for. The magic world was heralded by her accidental magic so it was more of a relief. Now she is being confronted by and Honest-to-god elf with a pet saber tooth tiger and who can conjure up fireballs in his bare hands… I'd be in shock too. Not to mention that Aralas is willing to be friends with a bushy haired, buck toothed book worm. This is new to Hermione and she is terrified of driving him away with an outpouring of facts. So she is trying really hard to not let it out.

Now Ron is going to be portrayed as an unobservant, immature, self-centred prig who is jealous of anyone with money and power. This is a phase and it shall pass with time… hopefully. His shooting his mouth off about Aralas's family was him trying to talk big in front of some people he was hoping to impress. I dare you to look me I the eye and tell me you haven't done the same… yeah didn't think so.

Malfoy was trying to be nice in his way, seeing as he was raised by Lucius we shouldn't be surprised. He is treating Aralas like a fellow Slytherin pureblood, which for him is an extreme concession to a non-human like Aralas. But all this succeeds in doing in making Aralas mad. Again we all know how that feels. We've all been there.

Also a little self-invention. The presence of a Dragonborn inspires confidence and courage in those around them. This is an uncontrollable side effect of being Dovahkiin, this way your enemies have big enough stone to challenge you and your allies will stand with you longer. That's why Neville and Hermione get a little confidence boost when they are around Aralas. As a Dragonborn grows more knowledgeable in the Thu'um they will be able to tone their aura down. Aralas still doesn't have control over it yet, meaning he is projecting confidence and courage around him.

So to sum it all up, he Golden Trio Shall be Aralas, Hermione and Neville. Neville's confidence will improve with Aralas dragging him off to weapons practice every morning, and teaching him and Hermione Nirnian magic.

Next Chapter: the first years hear a rumour that they have to fight a troll, Aralas freaks out and tells everyone what a troll can do… oh yeah and the sorting!

Safe travels, Trojan Seeress.


	6. The Sorting Troll

**Chapter 5- the Sorting Troll**

The air was cool and refreshing to Aralas as they jumped off the last runner onto the stone platform. All around them were other students in a sea of black robes and pointed hats. "Firs years, Firs years over 'ere" boomed a deep voice towards the edge of the platform.

Slowly the three friends maneuvered their way through the throng until the caught sight of an enormous man with a wild black beard and two kind beetle black eyes holding a lantern. Aralas approached the giant warily, mindful of the lessons he had learned from his mother about giants. Sure this man was small, but Aralas made a silent promise to himself to stay well away from his mammoths. Because that when giants got mean, was when you threatened their mammoths. "Right no follow me, an' watch yur step, the man called before turning and leading them along a narrow forest path. Neville and Hermione tripped over their feet in the dark, but Aralas ghosted through the gloom, fully comfortable in his natural environment.

"Yeh'll be getting yur firs look o' Hogwarts in a sec" the giant told them. Sure enough they rounded a bend and everyone, Aralas included gasped in awe at the magnificent sight that rose before them. The lake was as smooth as black glass and reflected the magnificence of the many turreted castle with its blazing windows as it rose in all it's majesty from the cliff it was perched on. They were led down to the shore where a collection of boats waited for them "Right now, in you get. No more 'en four to a boat" he instructed. Aralas, Neville and Hermione found themselves sharing a boat with the red head who made sure not to make eye contact with Aralas. The hiant was sitting in his own boat that just barely managed to keep afloat "every one reday?" he asked making a quick check before nodding to himself and gesturing with a pink umbrella as if it were a sword he were using to signal a cavalry charge "FOREWARD" he said and the boats obeyed the command, drifting across the lake smoothly as if they were being pulled across by invisible ropes.

Aralas found himself staring up at the beautiful castle and was reminded of the time his mother had shown him dragons reach at night. The two buildings had the same dominating effect and he smiled, feeling hopeful of the coming year "Watch yur heads now" the giant called and they all ducked down as the boats passed through a thick curtain of ivy that concealed the entrance to a cave that had a large jetty made of stone and was lit by torches. The giant waited till they wete all assembled before he looked at them "right every one still got their things?" there were a few nods and the giant smiled before turning away "right, now follow me" They followed him up a lawn until they found themselves standing on a set of broad steps before a set of massive oak double doors. The giant raised a huge fist and hammered it on the door.

There was a brief moment of silence before the right hand door creaked open to reveal the rather sever looking lady who had shown Aralas around the castle, dressed in emerald green velvet robes. "Here are the fris years Professor McGonagall" he informed her respectfully.

"Thank you Hagrid, you may go to the feast now." The giant smiled at her and made his way throught the doors and vanishing behind another pair of doors.

Lady McGonagall lead them through the massive entry hall that was bigger then even the one at the blue palace and dragons reach combinedand into a little room of to the side. They all squeezed in far closer together then thy woud hsve usually. "welcome to Hogwarts she told them all, here eyes roving over them like Irilith the housecarl's like she was catagozizing them. "The start of term feast will begin shortly, but before you may take your seats, you must be sorteds into your houses.

Her bearing straightened almost imperseptably "there are Griffindor, Huffulpuff, Ravenclaw and Sythering" she told them. "Now while you are here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points" she paused her eyes drilling into them mercillesly "any rule breaking and you will loose points. At the end of the year the house with the most points will be awarded the house cup. I exprct each of you to be a credit to whichever house you are sorted into." She told them sternly in a manner that reminded Aralas of his mother on her more dragonish days.

"the sorting ceremony will begin momentarily" she told them beofer sweeping out in a way that brought to mind a cat leaving a the vacume of her departure, rumours began to spread about the up and coming sorting ceremony.

"My brothers said it hurts a lot, and Fred and George mentioned wrestling a troll" came the voice of ron weasly over the genral hubbub.

At this statement Aralas went so pale that he looked alomost like Malfoy. "they can't make us do that" he cried, causing everyone to look at him "I saw a troll one when I was traveling with my mother to of the reach, guards had been dispatched to drive it away. When we passed by the troll had killed seven of the nine guards and was using the body of one of them to beat the others to death. You don't fight a troll until you have reached at least a mastery in destruction or archery" he told them fearfully.

The others were listening with rapt and fearful faces as Aralas wnt in to elaborate the dangers of a Nirnian frost troll and why they should be avoided at all costs when a girl near the back of the room screamed, making everyone jump about three feet into the air and for Aralas's ha nds to fill with fire and lightning as he adopted a combat ready stance.

"Forgive and forget I always say" a portly ghost of a portly monk said to a taller ghost with a lacy collar popular in the Elizabethan era.

"My dear friar haven't we given Peeves more than enough chances? He gives all of us a bad name you know " the ruffed ghost told the monk exasperatedly "furthermore..why hello who are you?" he asked finnaly noticing the masses of terrified first years and the elf standing infront of them all eith his hands filled with fire.

"Oh new students!" cried the monk smiling jovially at them all "I do hope to see some of you in Huffulpuff. My old house you know." He told them before being shooed out by an irate looking McGonagall who had returned holding a roll of parchment.

"Now form an alphabetical line all of you" she informed them only to frown as Aralas took his place near the front of the line "Mister Stillglade what are you doing, your place os with the S's" she told him.

Aralas blinked at her "But I am, S comes right after k in the alphabet" he told her in a bewildered voice.

McGonagall breathed deeply "In this world S comes after t which it precedes Q, so if you could take your place with the others that would be much appreciated" she told him sternly.

There were some snickers from the other children as Aralas looked hopelessly around until another kid with the last name of Smith waved his hand and gestured for Aralas to stand next to him.

By this time Aralas's face was a dark bronze as he blushed in embarrassment and then followed the others as McGonagall lead the way from the room into the great hall.

The doors opened and the students gasped in awe again. The enter ceiling appeared to be gone (though Aralas heard Hermione whispering to another student "it's not real sky, it's just bewitched to look like the night sky. I read about it in Hogwarts a history.")

Four long tables were illuminated by floating candles and at each table a pair of colours seemed to be prominent.

They halted at a gesture from McGonagall who left and returned bearing an extremely battered hat that looked like something his mother had fished out of a tomb and a three legged stool.

She placed the hat on the stool and stood back. There was a moment of silence where everyone craned their necks to look at the hat. Then a long rip near the brim opened like a mouth and the hat burst into song. True an extremely scratchy and out of tune and song but a song none the less:

Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat then me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve and chivalry,

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin,

Where you'll meet your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means,

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap."

The hall burst into applause and the knot that had been forming in Aralas's chest loosened, all they had to do was try on a hat. If this were Nirn it would have probably involved some kind of maze that hade several different answers depending on the qualities they were searching for.

He relaxed as McGonagall stepped forward with her list and read Abbot, Hannah" a blond girl ran forward and after having the hat placed on her head, was sorted into Hufflepuff.

After that Aralas tuned out except for Hermione's the hat was settled in her head and the hat seemed to grumble to itself for a few moments before it cried "GRIFFENDOR" and the beaming Hermione made her way to the table that was cheering and dominated by red and gold ties.

Neville was also sorted to Gryffindor, and the boy was so relieved that he ran towards the table with the hat still on his head. He had to trot back to the stool amid the laughter of the other students before Aralas tuned it out again, only vaguely notice the hat scream out "SLYTHERIN" after just barely touching Malfoy's head.

Eventually he heard his name "Stillglade, Aralas" the teacher cried and her made his way up to the stool. The hat was placed on his head and fell all the way down to his shoulders, bending his ears uncomfortably.

"Oooh, now there's something you don't see every day" a voice that sounded suspiciously like the hat said inside his head. Immediately Aralas cleared his mind and pushed the hat back out, it felt too like what his mother had described as Daedric invasions and he kept him barriers up to hold the voice outside. "Common lad, I can't sort you unless you let me in" the hat told him "If it makes you feel any better I am bound by an oath to keep everything I find confidential."

Slowly Aralas lowered his barriers and the hat resumed his sifting "oh my, oh my, oh my." he muttered "you have quite a few terrifying memories in here young man, Wolves attacking you, bandits attempting to kidnap you... WHAT THE HELL? IT BIT ME" The last part was out loud and everyone stared at the hat in astonishment.

"Sorry" Aralas thought at the hat as he wrestled his dragon back into his subconscious from where it had leapt out to repel the intruder.

"Good lord you have had a strange upbringing… courage to make Gryffindor jealous, loyalty that would make Hufflepuff blush , a brain that would make Ravenclaw an equal, and a hunger for power that would put Salazar to shame... you would do well in any house" the hat told him more quietly.

"I want to be with my friends" he told the hat firmly.

"Are you sure?" the hat asked him slyly "In Slytherin you could be truly great, but with loyalty like that Hufflepuff would be the place for you."

Aralas scowled "Gryffindor Now" he commanded.

"Fine, fine" the hat huffed sulkily "GRIFFENDOR!" it shouted to the entire hall. There were cheers and applause as the lions welcomed their newest member and Aralas walked happily to sit next to Neville and Hermione who had saved him a seat.

The rest of the first years were sorted, including Ron Weasely who was sorted into Gryffindor, much to Aralas's annoyance.

One everyone was seated, Dumbledore stood up "I have a few words I would like to say before our feast. And here they are Nitwit, Oddment, Blubber, Tweak. Thank you" he sat down and instantly the four long tables were groaning under the weight of hundreds of dishes. Platters filled with various meats caught Aralas's attention ad he fell on them, heaping his plate high with several very raw stakes and other pieces of protein. Everyone started at him curiously as he dug into his food, devouring it in quick and efficiently neat bites.

"Is the headmaster mad?" Hermione asked a red headed boy who introduced himself as Percy Weasely the prefect.

"Oh he is quite mad" Percy assured her jovially "but extremely brilliant as well."

Aralas looked up from his steak at Hermione "So he's had one conversation too many with Sheogorath. As long as he stays peaceful then I don't care" he told her before diving back into his steak.

Hermione looked at him in confusion "Sheogorath?" she asked mentally leafing through the book he had lent her.

"Daedric prince of madness" Aralas told her after swallowing.

"Oh" she said a little weakly, her eyes still riveted on the pile of rapidly disappearing food on his plate, she was astonished how quickly and neatly he was devouring his food as well as the complete lack of a vegetable anywhere.

Abruptly, half way through his third steak he pushed his plate away and sat there nibbling on a piece of salami and looking around the hall. As his eyes roved along the top table he say the giant Hagrid in animated conversation with an incredibly short teacher who kept ducking the giants emphatic hand gestures.

A few seats down sat a sallow skinned man with long greasy black hair, black robes an incredibly hooked nose and an expression darker the Alduin's soul. Next to him sat a weak looking man in a purple turban who seemed to be stuttering and looked extremely nervous. Aralas felt a vague sort of itching around his forehead scar and absently scratched it. "Excuse me, Percy" he addressed the red head politely, when the red head looked at him Aralas gestured to the hook nosed teacher "who is that?"

Percy craned his head to see above the other student's heads. "Oh that professor Snape, head of Slytherin house" he told Aralas settling down to his shepherd's pie again.

"What does he teach?" Aralas wondered still watching Snape glare around the hall as if everyone there had insulted his mother.

"Potions, but everyone knows it's the dark arts he fancies, he's been after Quirrle's job for years." Percy told him.

Aralas shrugged to himself and turned his attention back to the conversation happening at his table. "I'm half and half" a young blond boy was saying "me dads a muggle, mams a witch, bit of nasty shock for him when he found out" a few people giggled at that and looked at Aralas with open curiosity.

"What about you?" another boy asked "are you a half-blood?" they looked at him and Aralas felt the need to breathe deeply, why were they all so obsessed with blood? He wondered. But he decided to tell them.

"My mother is a Bosmer from Valenwood, my father is dead" he told them, the last bit an omission of a sorts.

"Oh I'm so sorry" said one of the girls who had darker skin almost like a Redguard.

Aralas shrugged "I live with my mum and her shield-sister Aela outside Falkreath and my Godsmother Serana comes by often despite how far it is to travel from castle Volkihar." He said and reached for a large piece of prosciutto which he sliced up with his fork and continued to nibble on.

"Shield sister?" asked an older red headed boy sitting next to an identical version of himself.

"My mother is the Harbinger of the Companions, a fighter's guild in Skyrim. Everyone in the guild depends on each other in battle as if they were family, hence the title shield-sibling. Aela the Huntress volunteered to be my mother's steward after I was born so she could look after me better." He told them.

"What kind of a last name is "the Huntress" the blond boy asked.

"Last names are a rarity in Skyrim. Usually titles or clan names are used as markers, that or your town of birth. Aela is a renowned archer and hunter in Skyrim, thus her name The Huntress." Aralas explained tiredly.

By this time everyone was nearly full and the decimated platters vanished from the table leaving the plates glittering and clean.

Then the desserts appeared. Everything one could ever imagine in the realm of sugary confections was there. Aralas looked along the line of sweets and felt slightly ill at the sight of so much sugar, sweets were a rarity back home, so to be confronted with the smell of so much sugar made his stomach turn a little.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked him after catching a glance at his face.

"The smell" he told her "it smells to sweet" Hermione looked a little confused "my sense of smell is better than a humans, and I'm smelling tons of sugar… we don't have a lot of that on Nirn. Sure we have sweets but we mostly use honey back home… it's a little overwhelming" he told her.

Hermione looked at him sympathetically and looked along the table "all of these are made with plants aren't they?" she asked him and he nodded before shrugging "I wish I could have a sweet roll but I don't see one, don't mind me Hermione, enjoy your dessert."

With another sympathetic look she went back to her treacle tart and Neville put a hand on Aralas's shoulder "the feast is almost over anyway" he reassured his new friend and showed Aralas his empty plate "I don't much like dessert either" he said by way of an explanation.

* * *

Finally the dessert too went the way of the earlier feast and the survivors vanished, leaving the tables and dishes spotless once more.

Dumbledore stood, the candle light sparkling off of his beard and half-moon spectacles. "Now that we are all fed and watered I have a few start of term announcements to make. The forbidden forest on the grounds is exactly that forbidden, the list of banned items has been increased by seven items. To see the full list, look ether on your common room notice boards, the door of Mr. Filch's office or just as the Weasely twins..."

Here the twins yelled loudly "YEAH WE MADE MOST OF THEOSE ITEMS BANNED!"

Dumbledore chuckled before continuing "Also I would like to inform you that the third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to suffer a most painful death."

There were some chuckles and Aralas sat up straighter with a strange glint in his eye "is he serious?" he asked Percy who frowned.

"I think so, though he usually lets us prefects know why a place is out of bounds." Aralas shrugged and turned back to the headmaster.

"And Finally before you head off to bed, let us sing out school song, feel free to use whatever tune you wish" he told them pulling out his wand and causing a purple ribbon to fly into the air and form words. Aralas smiled and bellowed to the tune of Ragnar the Red:

Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald,

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling,

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

Just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot.

It was chaos of the greatest kind, Aralas looked out of the corner of his eye and saw Sheogorath balanced on a rafter conducting the masses with a massive grin on his face and his eyes twinkling. Dumbledore waited until everyone had finished, even the Weasely twins who had sung it as a funeral dirge.

"Ah Music, the greatest magic of all" he said wiping away a tear. "Now off you tot" he told them.

Immediately Aralas found himself being herded along with the other first years through the corridors up to one of the towers where an massive portrait of a rotund lady in a pink silk gown. "Password?" she asked.

"Capet Draconis" Percy said rather pompously and the portrait swung to the side revealing an entrance.

They filed through into a spacious circular common room filled with comfortable looking red chairs and tables. A large fireplace dominated one wall and the others were filled with scarlet and gold tapestries. Everywhere Aralas looked the motif of a lion was roared, lounged, pranced or fought.

"Welcome to Gryffindor tower, this is where you will sleep and spend your off hours. Boys dormitories are up the stairs on the left, girls the same on your right. You will find that all your belongings have already been brought up. Now off to bed."

He instructed and Aralas found Hermione "Good night" she said to both him and Neville.

"See you in the morning" Aralas replied before leading the way up the left hand staircase. The boy's dormitory was circular and had five four poster beds with crimson drapes and coverlets.

Snowpaw looked up from bed near the window " _what took you so long?"_ he demanded, yawning.

 _"The feast was several hours"_ Aralas told him as he opened his trunk and pulled out the armour stand and weapons rack that had been magically stored in there.

The other boys gaped at him "why do you need those?" a boy named Dean asked ogling the small imperial sword and shield that had been his nameday presents.

"To stay in shape, if my skills fall then I'm going to be in huge trouble when I get home" he told them reaching deeper in and pulling out a large white wolf pelt which he laid on the bed.

The boys stared at it as Aralas pulled on his sleep pants "Is that a wolf?" Ron asked.

Aralas nodded "yup, this is Faskus [fuzzy], mum got him for me when we were heading home after my naming ceremony." He told them kneeling at the side of his bed and bowing his head.

The others watched in confusion as he began reciting a prayer to nine divines with weird names. "Are you religious?" A boy named Seamus asked from his bed.

Aralas nodded again "when the gods make a habit of interfering with your family, it pays to keep on their good sides" he told them before he climbed into bed, snuggling into the wolf fur like a comfort blanket with the large grey kitten curling up next to him.

"You mean she bought you that fur?" Ron asked still stuck on the fur, his jealousy raising it head.

Aralas snorted "of course not. It attacked our carriage and she killed it, skinned it and once we got home tanned it and gave it to me."

He pulled up where the wolfs head was and poked his finger through a hole in where the back of the neck would have been. "She got him with an arrow through the mouth, clean kill." The others save Neville shuddered and climbed into bed.

"Night Neville" Aralas called.

"Night Aralas" came the sleepy replied.

Once the dormitory was quiet, Aralas pulled out a small amulet and poured a little touch of his magica into it. The sapphire in the center glowed and he heard his mother's voice singing to him his favorite lullaby that she had recorded for him. "Alduin's wings, they did darken the sky, his roar fury's fire and his scales sharpened scythes" his eyes grew heavy and he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

A/N-

Holy Auriel sorry it took so long, I got run over by a bus that called itself "real life" I don't like him. Anyway sorry it took too long… I think this chapter may be a little odd, I was tippsy when I wrote it, though my beta seemed to think it was ok.

Hope you continue to enjoy

Safe travels, Trojan Seeress.


	7. The first week

**Chapter 6- The first week**

Neville woke to something poking him "Neville, wake up" he turned over and groaned, the poke came again, more insistent "Neville, wake up, hurry" finally he pried open his eyes to see Aralas standing next to him in a pair of loose pants with a satchel hanging across his skinny chest and his hair looking disheveled.

"What?" he asked groggily as he rubbed his face.

"Wanna see the sunrise with me?" the young elf asked hopefully, his green eyes wide and dark in the dim light of false dawn.

The words filtered slowly through Neville's sleep fogged brain "Sunrise?" he asked blinking and slowly sitting up to look at his new fried more clearly.

Aralas nodded and gestured towards the window "Hedwig says that there is a perfect ledge a really easy climb up."

His voice was still low so as to not wake their new dorm mates but the last word shook Neville awake as quickly as a bucket of icy water "c..c..climb" he stuttered as his fear of heights asserted itself with a vengeance. The thought of climbing around outside Gryffindor tower made him feel rather ill.

Aralas nodded "it's just along the ledge and up a couple of gargoyles" he said, his face showing his hope that Neville would agree.

"I…I can't" Neville told his friend, his voice quivering like an aspen leaf in a strong wind.

The elf's slanted brows furrowed in confusion "Why not?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

Beet red with shame Neville confessed "I'm af...f..fraid..o... ..heights" he stuttered out, and buried his face in his hands, imagining the look of disgust on Aralas's face and waiting for the denunciations and accusations of cowardice that he just knew were coming.

Instead he felt a hand on his shoulder "what makes you afraid of them?" Came the gentle question and Neville felt the bed dip a bit as Aralas sat next to him.

"I'm clumsy, I'll fall for sure, and I've been terrified since my uncle dangled me off of a balcony, trying to get me to perform some accidental magic." The confession slipped out from between his arms and tears leaked out from his eyes as he relived the terror he had felt at seeing the ground rush up to meet him as he fell.

The hand on his shoulder was replaced by an arm that wound around his shoulders in a hug he also heard a long slow exhale.

Slowly he peeked out from his shelter to see his new friend hugging him "Do you want help getting over it?" Aralas asked softly. Neville nodded and sniffed, whipping his nose on his sleeve. Aralas reached into his satchel and pulled out a long piece of rope "I know how to keep from falling and if you do I know how to keep us safe. So if I tie us together and help you along… will you come?" he asked shyly, his eyes looking up into the taller boys face.

Something seemed to ignite in Neville as he nodded and slowly eased out of bed, putting on some shoes as Aralas pulled on a shirt and boots.

Then before his courage could fail him, Neville helped Aralas tie the rope into a harness and cinched it around his waist before Aralas did to same. There was about nine feet of rope between them and Aralas opened the window and slid carefully out onto the two foot wide ledge.

Shaking like a leaf Neville followed him, edging fearfully out with his back pressed to the wall. "Breathe deeply, let your fear flow out with each breath, we can wait." Aralas' voice came to him through the still air. Neville obeyed and felt that little spark he felt around his friend flare brighter and drive some of his panic away.

"Now turn to face me." Aralas's voice was calm and sure, blowing on the spark to make it brighter. Neville turned to face his friend who stood on the ledge as if it were a hundred feet wide, not two. "Now don't shuffle. Make each move slow and deliberate. Look where you want to go. Where you look is where you will go." The elf instructed.

Slowly, the two boys made their way along the ledge. Aralas calmly giving instructions and guiding Neville along as the boy's confidence slowly grew.

When they reached a set of Gargoyles sticking out like stairs along the edge of the tower Aralas didn't pause in his instructions. His voice soothing Neville's worry and blowing on the spark of courage that Neville felt.

He wasn't sure how long it was but sometime later he found himself sitting on a five foot deep ledge with Aralas, the two boys wrapped up in the large white wolf pelt to keep warm after having worked up a sweat during the climb and both munching on some kind of Jerky that Aralas had pulled out of his satchel. Neville stared out in wonder at the forbidden forest to the east.

During the climb it had become lighter and lighter, the darkness of the grounds retreating until the full height of the tower was visible, making him shiver. "Look" Aralas pointed and Neville saw a faint tint of gold along the edge of the treetops. "Magic love this moment, feel it inside you" Aralas told him.

Neville breathed deeply, imitating his friend and watched the gold light grow stronger and begin to gild the deep green leaves of the forest.

He almost felt like he was in a trance as he watched the sun, and for a moment he felt something like a surge of light in his chest, like something inside of him was responding to the light of the sun.

Far too soon the moment passed and Aralas looked at him "We need to get back before the others wake up" he said reluctantly. "Just do what you did to get here and you will be fine" he instructed rolling up the wolf pelt and storing it back inside his enchanted satchel.

The climb back to the dorm was harrowing for Neville. Now that the light was stronger, the drop was more visible as opposed to the soft darkness that had been beneath him on the way up.

It was a sweating Neville who followed Aralas back inside. Falling into his bed in exhausting as his muscles quivered as they released the tension they had been holding for the climb back. Aralas nudged him a few minute later "How do I bathe?" he asked cautiously, Groaning now from the feeling of his sore muscles Neville introduced the elf to the wonders of a hot shower and indoor plumbing. Smiling a little at the other boy's amazement and deciding that a shower felt like an excellent idea.

Twenty minutes later saw both boys freshly washed and dressed in their school robes sitting on their beds in their dorm. Neville watched in fascination as Aralas brushed, then braided his hair, carefully weaving three feathers in as well.

Seeing his friend's curious look Aralas explained "Bosmer like nature, the feathers are for decoration and represent freedom." The most fascinating moment was when Aralas pulled out a stone jar containing some kind of grey/silver paste that he then used to draw two curving lines from his eyes down to his neck. The silver colour subtly visible against his bronze skin "clan markings" was his explanation.

Morning rituals finished they headed down to the common room with Snowpaw at their heels and found Hermione dressed and ready to go sitting by the newly lit fire fidgeting nervously.

As they came down the stairs she looked up at them, surprised to see them. "Neville, Aralas… what are you doing up so early?" she asked.

"I always get up early and I was showing Neville a Bosmeri morning ritual" Aralas smiled plopping down in a chair next to her whilst Neville seated himself carefully sat in the edge, of the nearby couch trying to use what he had done earlier to not trip over his own feet. Snowpaw pranced over to Hermione and leapt into her lap, purring as she absently stroked his ears.

"Morning ritual?" Hermione asked excitedly, and would have interrogated them if she hadn't been distracted by the fact that Aralas was now wearing face paint. "What is the paint for?" she asked him, peering at his face closely as if she could pull the answer from the paint itself by sheer force of will.

"It's a personal choice as well as my clan marking. Most wear it when they are about to go on an adventure, but I was so excited to get on the train that I forgot to put it on yesterday" he admitted sheepishly "don't tell anyone" he pleaded.

"Of course not" Hermione assured him before she began to rapid fire off questions until Neville rescued his friend by informing them that breakfast would be starting as it was now seven thirty.

* * *

They began to trek their way through the halls, mostly following Aralas's memory from the night before and Snowpaw's sense of smell.

It was seven fifty eight when they finally reached the great hall, which was beginning to fill with students.

As they sat down near the teachers table at the Gryffindor table students and even some teachers stared or pointed at Aralas's ears, hair and paint. The whispers reaching his sensitive ears:

"Do you see him?"

"look at that cat!"

"With the pointed ears and long hair?"

"Do you see the feathers?"

"Do you see the face paint?"

"What a savage"

The last comment was heard by Hermione who turned on the offending Slytherin in a rage and nearly blasted his eardrums for such a comment before Aralas and Neville dragged her to the table.

"They have no right to call you a savage" Hermione fumed as they seated themselves at the table.

"I don't mind, Bosmer means people of the sap, we chose to reject Civilization when we ceded away from the high elves, they still call us savages sometimes" Aralas soothed her, but inside he was feeling as humiliated as she felt angry.

Food did make it better, Hermione and Neville introduced Aralas and Snowpaw to the wondrous food known as bacon. He enthusiastically tried all the new forms of meat and eggs that were placed near him while Snowpaw sat near his feet gnawing on a large sausage and throwing in questions with Aralas's about what other kinds of food this plane had. Both sets of questions had Hermione happily explaining, in her element that Aralas and Neville dubbed "lecture mode".

Around eight thirty the air around the tables became full of owls of every shape and breed as they flew over the tables, delivering items that had been forgotten, letters and care packages to the various students.

Aralas craned his neck and scanned for Hedwig. Soon enough he saw her as most owls don't appear in a flash of blue and purple light causing people to gasp and point.

He ignored them and watched as she sored down toward him, holding a large envelope which she dropped in front of him before swooping to land on his shoulder, nipping the point of is ear and preening his hair in affection…well almost.

" _Didn't you preen this morning?"_ she demanded in a scandalized voice as she pushed strands of his hair behind his ear _"do you have_ _No_ _pride in your appearance?... honestly you would forget your ears if they weren't attached to your head."_ She scolded him and worked to get his hair to sit in some manner of order.

" _Hey I washed and brushed this morning, thank you very much."_ Aralas told her smiling _"Thanks for bringing me the letter"_ he added, passing her a large strip of bacon " _try this, it's amazing"_ the owl daintily took the piece and at the first taste her luminous eyes widened and she gobbled it down, leaning forward to grab more.

Smiling at the owl's antics he picked up the heavy vellum envelope and opened it.

 _Dear Aralas,_

 _How was your first day? Did you make any friends? Are you enjoying your school? What house did you get into? I hear that one's house is important. Serana is staying for the next few days to wait for our letter. The house seems so much quieter with you gone. Aela says she misses her pup already. Farkas and the others stopped by on their way through and say that they will be visiting on Loredas and Sundas [Saturday and Sunday] to keep up your training. So be ready. If you have any friends who want to join just tell me and I can send some extra training equipment with them. Write to me soon my Hatchling. Don't forget your prayers and try not to hurt any idiots too seriously._

 _Love Mama_

 _p.s. are you in any trouble yet? was it worth it?_

 _Serana here, how was your first night? Are there any other races attending? From what I've been reading in the books Silandra got there world is very exclusive and rather racist. How are you being treated? If anyone starts giving you trouble you can me and I'll scare the lives out of them. Also I'm curious to hear how they approach alchemy, so write back soon!_

 _Love Aunty Rana_

 _p.s. don't do anything we wouldn't do._

 _Aela now, so, cub what does your school look like from the outside. Are there any good hunting grounds nearby? I would love to visit and maybe I could bring the pack by to see you, they would love that. Is anyone giving you difficulty? Just say the word and I'll be there with the others on my heels. Have you found some shield-Siblings yet? If you have what are their names? I miss you cub. The house feels empty without you. (Also your mom is moping around like a lost soul.) Hunt well and stay safe little one_

 _Love Aunty Aela_

 _p.s. we thought you might want this. Use it well._

He smiled at the letter from home. The idea of his vivacious mother moping around the hose just didn't fit with his mental image of her. He looked back at the envelope that held something heavy inside and pulled it out. His eyes widened as he looked at it before quickly stuffing it into his pocket before anyone could see. After all an amulet of invisibility would come in use for exploring.

His friends were still laughing at Hedwig as she held a piece of bacon in her talon and nibbled on it happily.

"C _areful, eat to much of that and you'll get to fat to fly"_ he told her as he wrote a reply to his family.

 _"I won't get fat, I exercise"_ she told him primly, ruffling her feathers.

Aralas snorted as he folded his letter in to a square and holding it out " _do you think you could take this home?_ " he asked her smiling.

She fixed him with a withering glare " _you called me fat"_ she said in a haughty voice.

" _I'm sorry, you're not fat, you're svelte and muscled"_ he apologised, the owl gave a snort, _"and the most beautiful owl here"_ he added stoking her ego. Finally she took the letter and cuffed him gently on the back of his head gently with her wing before flying up and vanishing though a portal that made several people gasp in astonishment.

Aralas looked at Hermione and Neville who were staring at him "what?" he asked.

"You were hooting at your owl" Neville said.

"And last night you were growling at you cat" Hermione added.

Aralas shrugged "Bosmer can speak to animals, it's one of the gifts Y'ffre gave us… that and several woodland skills." He trailed off seeing lady McGonagall stalking down the table handing out sheets of parchment.

She paused when she arrived at Aralas, her nostrils flaring as she breathed in and looking around. Snowpaw gave a deep meow and slid halfway out from under the table to look up at the teacher with a curious eye. " _She smells like a cat… and an alpha… listen to her. She leads the pride here"_ the cat told Aralas, flattening his ears and adopting a submissive posture.

McGonagall stared at the cat for a moment before blinking dismissively and turning to that three students handing them their timetables. "Stillglade, what kind of cat is that?" she asked fixing him with the same stare that had made Snowpaw submit.

"A snow saber cat, Lady McGonagall" he told her, confidently.

Her brows furrowed "I've never heard of that breed" she said imperiously "and it's professor McGonagall" she informed him, but this time with a slight hint of a smile.

"Of course professor" he acquiesced. She smiled at the three of them fully and continued down the table. "I like her" Aralas told his friends decisively turning to look at his timetable "she reminds me of Aunty Rana when she's teaching me" he added thoughtfully.

Hermione was looking at him with a strange expression whilst Neville was recovering from the shock of being confronted by a teacher so early in the morning.

* * *

Their first day of classes was interesting but very confusing to Aralas.

The three of them managed to find their way to transfiguration on time thanks to Snowpaw's nose, but they were confronted by an empty room and a cat sitting primly on the desk .

 _Greeting night-friend"_ Aralas addressed the cat politely, _"might you know where the pride leader is?"_ The cat stared at him in surprise, the square markings around her eyes looking rather like the spectacles McGonagall wore.

 _"I beg your pardon Mister Stillglade."_ She said in a rather severe voice that Aralas recognised at once, turning dark bronze in embarrassment and sitting in one of the desks quickly.

" _My apologies, professor… I thought that you were a common cat, I did not realise that you were able to shift your shape_ " he muttered by way of an apology.

" _Well keep this quiet young man, I have a class to surprise"_ The teacher told him, fixing a stern gaze on him before turning away and adding " _We will discuss your ability to speak to me after class_ " he nodded and looked back at his friends who again were looking at him funny.

Hermione then shook her head and pulled out her books.

The other students walked in and looked relieved at the apparent lack of a teacher. The last one to arrive was red haired Ron, who stumbled in with a stain on his tie and, once he saw that there was no teacher sighed "brilliant, made it."

It was at this moment that the cat leapt from the desk, shifting as she fell and landing as a human with a very stern expression. "That was bloody brilliant" the boy stammered trying to placate the teacher with flattery.

"Why thank you for that assessment mr Weasely. Perhaps if I was to transfigure you into a pocket watch? then perhaps you would be on time." she fixed him with a withering gaze as he mumbled something about getting lost. "Then perhaps a map, I trust you don't need on to find your seat." The boy fell into his seat with a beet red complexion that clashed dreadfully with his hair.

Aralas listened in fascination as McGonagall began to lecture them on the seriousness of Transfiguration.

He gasped in amazement like the others when she turned her desk into a pig and back, though she seemed rather put out with his question about whether or not the transfigured pig was edible.

It was halfway through her lecture that his confusion reached its peak. "Excuse me professor" he interrupted with a raised hand.

"Yes Mr. Stillglade" she said looking a little miffed at being stopped mid flow.

"You keep saying that wand movements and correct pronunciation are key to performing a transformation, but is it not your will that forces the object to change shape?"

The teacher looked momentarily stumped, but rallied quickly. "The gestures and incantations are the focus, will is imagination, you must visualise the transfiguration, so in a way then yes, will is the key."

Aralas now looked even more confused "so then why are the wand and incantation necessary? Surely ones will is enough to change the objects structure."

Everyone stared at the elf in astonishment, someone questioning the use of a wand? Everyone needed a wand.

McGonagall cleared her throat "the wand is a focus, without it magic cannot be used for more detailed work."

The confused look did not abate, but he dropped the subject, listening carefully until the class ended and the other students trooped, Hermione and Neville promising to wait outside for him.

* * *

McGonagall looked at the young elf standing before her "Mr. Stillglade, how were you able to converse with me when I was in cat form?" she asked him curiously.

The boy scratched his nose nervously "I'm Bosmer professor, one out our gifts is beast speech, the ability to speak to all animals" he explained.

McGonagall filed away that piece of information before addressing him in a more serious tone, "now what exactly confused you during my lecture?" She asked him with concern.

The boys expression turned frustrated "Your explanation of the need for a wand, I've seen plenty of mages back home change things without any focus or incantation, they aren't needed, only will power is."

The professor's eyebrows rose to her hairline "can you give me an example?" she asked him curiously.

Aralas nodded and held out his hand, his brows coming together in concentration a sphere of blue light appeared in his hand and grew more intense until it expanded in a flash and revealed a glowing blue dagger sitting in his hand, it was wickedly curved and the hilt and cross guard were adorned with a vicious collection of spines.

Fascinated McGonagall reached out and took the blade from him "what did you do?" she demanded examining the cool metal of the spectral looking blade and gently testing the blades edge and gasping as it drew blood.

"I summoned and bound a lesser dremora into the shape of a blade, it's the only spell I know at the moment apart from summon familiar…" the bell rang and McGonagall started, dropping the dagger which melted away into a soft blue mist.

"Get to class" she told him and he sprinted out, his cat on his heels and joined his friends as they ran to the next class.

* * *

Charms presented much of the same problem: "But where do you draw your energy from?" asked an extremely frustrated Aralas.

"I don't understand the question." Flitwick said "your magical core is the source of your power… "

Aralas frowned "Yes but what about when your magika is exhausted? which realm do you draw it from? Aetherius or oblivion? If you pull from oblivion you run the risk of incurring a debt with a deadric prince… Isn't that extremely dangerous?"

His green eyes showed complete and utter confusions he tried to make sense of how they did magic and Flitwick's mouth opened and closed like a gaffed fish.

"How about you give us a demonstration of the different magic you know" he hedged finally.

"Ok what do you want me to do?" The elf asked.

"Create a light" Flitwick instructed.

Aralas nodded and held out his hand, pale white light coalesced in his half closed fist. When he let it go a small sphere floated to just in front of him, he got up and moved, the light drifted along with him as if it were on a pole.

Flitwick saqueaked in surprise and tumbled off his stack of books.

Later that night he met with Minerva in the teachers' lounge and downed glass after glass of Firewhiskey as they tried to dissect what the boy had done.

* * *

In the gloom of the common room Hermione was hissing at Aralas and a trembling Neville.

"You can't go sneaking around at night that's against the rules!" Her voice was low but filled with worry as she stared at the elf and his accomplice, both were dressed in dark clothes.

"I'm teaching Neville how to sneak Hermione" Aralas told her patiently "If you want I can teach you too, but this is important to learn."

The furious girl followed the two boys through the portrait hole, hissing like a leaky tire all the way, but finally giving up and taking the elf's hints about moving more quietly.

Several hours later they slid through the halls of the third floor corridor.

Aralas's eyes gleamed with excitement as they eyed the forbidden door. They approached it with Hermione fretting and tugging at his sleeve and Neville shaking like a leaf again. He tried the door and grinned at the locked status of it.

Hermione sighed in relief until she saw him pull out a pair of long thin pieces of metal. "Are those Lock picks?!" she demanded scandalise.

"Yup" he grinned and kneeled down in front of the door began to wiggle the tumblers around humming to himself "Oh there once was a hero named Ragnar the red."

snap, click, the door swung open and they were confronted with the terror inspiring sight of an enormous dog with three very angry heads snarling at them.

Hermione froze, Neville shook and Aralas grinned looking the monster in front of him.

"Hi, whatcha doin?" he yipped at the dog.

Who blinked, sneezed and began growling again "I am Fluffy the terrible" snarled the head on the far left.

"No I am Cuddles the fearsome" the middle head told him, showing off his teeth.

"Fools, I am Bubbles the dreadful" snapped the head on the right.

This started an argument between the three heads who began snapping and snarling at each other and Aralas stifled a giggle.

Hermione recovered first, slamming the door, and with the help of Neville dragged the sniggering Aralas through the corridors back to the tower.

Once they were back inside the empty common room Aralas burst into hysterical laugher, clutching his sides as he relayed what the dog had said in between guffaws.

Soon the terror of the encounter had faded and the three of them were rolling on the floor laughing their heads off.

Then they headed for bed. Their first day had been eventful, to say the least.

* * *

The next morning in false dawn, Snowpaw padded into the girls dorm and prodded Hermione with his paw. She snorted awake and stared at the cat. Snowpaw, seeing that she was awake dropped a slip of paper on her coverlet and sat there watching her with large unwinking eyes. She carefully picked up the paper and unfolded it.

Written there in brazen abandonment of the rules was the message:

 _Hermione, we are going to watch the sunrise, wanna come? If yes get dressed and open you window. If no, then pop out and tell us._

 _Aralas and Neville._

 _p.s. we're climbing up the outside wall. Yes that is definitely against the rules, no we don't care._

She gapped at the letter. Climbing along the outside wall? They could be killed… or worse expelled.

She opened the window and looked outside. Aralas and Neville stood in the narrow ledge dressed in their street cloths.

Aralas grinning from ear to pointed ear and Neville keeping his eyes fixed firmly on his friend back, she vaguely noticed the rope holding them together.

"What are you doing?" she hissed at them again.

"Going climbing… Aralas whispered back, his grin not shrinking at all "I was going to start teaching Neville Nirnian magic while we're up there… wanna join?"

Hermione scowled… that was playing dirty and he knew it offering knowledge like that. Also that grin was just daring her to say no.

With a huff she withdrew and emerged a few minutes later in jeans and a sweater. "If we die I'm blaming you" she told the elf fiercely.

This threat was lost on him as he handed her a harness and led them up to the ledge. It wasn't until they were all sitting there wrapped in a bear pelt and eating jerky that Hermione's fury ended and she remembered that she was afraid of heights.

This revelation, coupled with the fact that they were a good two hundred meters above the grounds caused some panic.

But that was lost momentarily in the beauty of the sunrise. She watched in awe as the sun rose and she noticed a faint blueish glow around Aralas and a flickering around Neville, both had their eyes riveted on the sun and Aralas at least had a peaceful expression. "Reach for your magic Hermione" Aralas whispered "it feeds off moments like this."

She tried, she really did. But the more she reached the more frustrated she got, winding her up like a piano string.

By the time the two boys opened their eyes she has hopping mad, forgetting her fear again. "You have to relax Hermione, nothing will come from being angry." She scowled at this but eventually calmed down.

They eventually made their way down and went to class, but Hermione found her mind drifting back to the peace atop the tower.

* * *

The week slid by with Aralas confounding his teachers and his teachers confusing him. He spent hours talking with them, and trying to explain what he was doing.

His morning meditations with Hermione and Neville continued and eventually their mutual fear of heights faded as they grew used to the path to the ledge, climbing it without ropes every morning and evening to watch the sun rise and set.

Aralas had taken to teaching them Nirnian magic and they could each conjure up a small flame spell, though not for long and Hermione was finally relaxing enough to feel her magic.

Their friendship grew exponentially and they were always seen together, where one was, the others would be too.

* * *

Defence against the dark arts was an Absolut joke in Aralas' humble opinion.

The teacher stuttered more than Neville on a bad day and his class stank of garlic that and every time he turned his back on Aralas his forehead would itch like crazy.

This unfortunate combination had lead to Aralas confronting the quivering teacher.

"How in the name of Auriel's shiny ass are we supposed to kill monsters trying to kill us if all you teach use are tickling jinxes?" Aralas demanded crossing his arms.

"w. ... y.. your enemies w..w..will b..b..be l..laughin t..t...t..to h..hard t.t..t.o atta..attack" Quirrell had finally managed to spit out around his stutter.

"Drauger aren't ticklish" Aralas had informed the teacher who had looked terrified at the mention of the fell creatures.

He had quickly dragged out the textbook and tried to distract them with reading.

After that class, the rumour that the room stank of garlic so as to repel a vampire that was supposedly after Quirrell, Aralas had loudly debunked the myth that vampires were afraid of garlic.

"How would you know?" sneered Malfoy, who had made it his personal mission in life to humiliate Aralas for snubbing him on the train.

"Because my Godsmother is a vampire" Aralas had snapped at him angrily. There had been a moment of silence as everyone stared at him and his face went a dark bronze at his outburst.

The pandemonium that had ensued after that filled the hallways and led to people avoiding him and rumours spreading that he was a vampire, using his purely carnivorous diet as proof, ignoring his insistence that it was for religious reasons.

After several such episode the teachers began having nightly meetings about the elf and his actions in class, bottles of Firewhiskey were consumed as wisdom was sought in the amber liquids depths and many a teacher went to a smirking Snape for hangover cures and Quirrell avoided the elf like the plague.

* * *

They were standing outside a thick wooden door that lead to the potions classroom.

Neville was white as a sheet from the tales told by the Weasely twins about the overgrown bat's cruelty against all things Gryffindor. Hermione was muttering various facts about potions and their brewing to them, but that didn't help.

Aralas was staring at a list he and Serana had compiled on the differences between the Nirnian plants and their Terran varieties, there several large ones.

At the correct time the door clicked open and they all filed in.

The room was large, cold and poorly ventilated, rather like one of those ancient Nordic crypts Aralas had visited with his mother.

They all settled into their seats, Gryffindors on one side, shifting nervously while the Slytherins smirked and sneered at them with the smug superiority of a snake in its own lair.

The door slammed open and Snape swept in. His soulless black eyes sweeping the ranks of students.

Where it hit the Gryffindors they shrank from the venom in the gaze while the Slytherins seemed to draw strength from it.

First thing he did was take attendance, his voice a deep terrifying bass that seemed to suck at your happiness.

When he reached Aralas he paused "Mr. Stillglade" he said, his voice a bare whisper that was still audible to all. "Our new celebrity" he spat out the last word and several Gryffindors shuddered in fear, yet Aralas gazed calmly back at him unimpressed at the potion master's antics.

He continued down the list and swept his gaze across the class, Gryffindors wilted, their vaunted courage abandoning them in the face of such hatred, all except Aralas and those immediately around him.

In the silence afterward you could have heard a pin drop.

"There will be absolutely no foolish wand waving or silly incantations in this class, many of you will most likely leave here believing that this is not even truly magic, and you will be fools for doing so."

The sneer that crossed his face was quite impressive Aralas thought idly, but not a patch on Grandmother Valerica's.

"You are here to learn the exact art and subtle science of potion making." Snape continued silkily "I will teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I will teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper in death- If you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually teach."

Aralas recognised the last part for what it was, a challenge, a gauntlet thrown down and he silently accepted it.

On his right Hermione quivered like a race horse at the starting gates, ready and willing with all her being to prove her worth and answer the challenge.

"Stillglade!" he snapped suddenly "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Hermione's hand shot into the arm so fast that Aralas heard the air hiss in displacement.

He considered for a moment, the Terran method sliding away in the face of his rigorous alchemy training under a vampire who had transcended planes with her mixtures.

"If the Asphodel was picked during the full moons using a silver gauntlet and dried in absolute darkness, then mixing it with a wormwood infusion would provide the perfect base. You would need the head of a Hircine worshiping Hagraven which you boil in the infusion over a cauldron of rift flame in a tomb of heroes during the new moons in midwinter. Once strained and cooled the resulting liquid will result in a cure for lycanthropy" he recited proudly.

Dead silence met this statement, and Aralas looked around him in confusion "what?" he asked blankly seeing the shocked faces of all the purebloods who stared at him slack jawed.

"Aralas there is no cure for lycanthropy" Hermione whispered wide eyed. Aralas blinked.

"Yes there is. In fact there are four known cures: the first is to burn the head of the Hagraven witch that cursed you, second is to contract vampirism then get cured of that, though that method is expensive. Third is to get the blessing of a different Daedric prince or Divine and thus be cured and fourth is to the potion I just described."

Everyone continued to stare at the elf as if he had grown two heads and for the rest of the class Snape seemed to be in shock, barely even remembering to terrify the Gryffindors as he tapped the instructions onto the black board before digging out a massive potions tome.

That evening Snape joined the drinking in the staff room.

* * *

They were sitting on their ledge, enjoying the golden light of dawn on Saturday, Aralas had invited them to his upcoming lesson with Farkas and they had accepted happily, even now they were taking advantage of the sleep in time. They were lounging and making small talk when Aralas turned to Hermione and looking her dead in the eye and deadpanned "Cuddles the fearsome."

This had become a running joke with them as it still had the power to make them laugh uncontrollably and they would try to make the others slip up. Neville made a strangled choking sound as he repressed a laugh, a few seconds passed and Hermione struggled to stay impassive, but a smile grew as she stared into the elf's eyes that glittered with mischief.

A giggle slipped out, followed by another, soon they were laughing heartily, holding their sides. Their gales of laughter echoed around the outside grounds and woke a certain hungover lioness.

Minerva McGonagall was an early riser, but this morning she was sleeping off the effects of far too much Firewhiskey and a very late night. She and the other teachers had been up for most of the night trying to figure out the cure for lycanthropy he had mentioned, pouring over books trying to figure out what in heaven's name a Hagraven was.

So the sound of children's laughter was not as welcome as it usually was. She cracked open an bloodshot eye and listened for a moment.

Then the meaning of the sound seeped into her consciousness. Children laughing…. Outside….. Students were outside!

She sat bolt upright, pain forgotten and ran a quick diagnostic charm over the dormitories… three students were missing from their beds… and the tower!

She poked her head out of her open window and looked toward the sound of the laughter.

What she saw made her heart stop. Three children were sitting on a ledge near the top of the tower laughing their heads off!

Barely coherent with fear she whipped off a Patronus to Dumbledore and leapt for the broom in the corner.

Yanking on her tartan dressing gown she threw open her window and flew out in a move that was reminiscent of her days as a chaser for Gryffindor. She sped up to the ledge like Snape out of a party and drew level with the trio "What in the name of all that's holy are you three doing here!" she screamed at them, the three jumped at the sound of her banshee like screech and the girl gasped.

"Professor McGonagall!" she squeaked. The Longbottom boy turned the colour of old porridge but the elf looked at her with a wide smile.

"Morning Professor! Beautiful dawn isn't it" he called to her, smiling as if he wasn't a mere three inches from plummeting to his death.

He kicked his heels against the stone wall from where his legs dangled over the abyss.

"Get down from there this instant" McGonagall cried furious. Aralas looked at her in confusion "instantly, it takes time to climb down professor. If you want us down it will take several minutes" he told her in a confused voice. "NOW!" shrieked the terrified professor. By this time the Patronus had been received and other brooms baring the staff of the school were speeding towards the tower.

Aralas stood, balancing on the edge as if it were nothing…. Neville looked at Aralas and trembled. Hermione was white as a sheet… "What are we going to do… we'll be expelled!" she sobbed.

Aralas rolled up the pelt, ignoring the screams of the staff now flying around like overgrown birds.

Aralas sighed and turned to the flock of teachers "you sure you don't want us to climb down? We can do it… but now that you've scared them they will take longer to calm down."

McGonagall's face matched her tartan dressing gown, a woman with a hawk like face was watching him fixedly "just stay where you are" called the greasy haired teacher as he sneered at them.

Aralas sighed and sat down with his elbows on his knees. One by one he and his fellows were scooped up by hysterical teachers and once they had landed safely on the ground, frogmarched through the hallways.

Aralas looked at his friends who were both quivering.

"It will be fine" he told them soothingly.

They found themselves facing a stone gargoyle "Sherbet Lemon" growled their furious head of house.

The statue leapt to the side, making Aralas jump in shock before he was matched up the spiral stairs. He hoped this didn't scare the other two off, he like having company in the morning.

* * *

A/N- well is that enough of a deviation from canon for you all? The deleted scene was the original and straight from Sheogorath and I had to share it... like?

Hope you enjoy, sorry for the house name screw ups... I humbly apologise. I used up all my canon for the sorting, now we shall go boldly were my insanity takes us... hold on to your knickers!

Safe travels, Trojan seeress

* * *

 **Deleted scene**

"Get yourselves down from there this instant.. you hear me Stillglade! As your head of house I command you to .NOW." came the Accented cry from McGonagall, fear fogging her mind.

Aralas looked at his fellow accomplices "Do you guys trust me?" he asked his two friends.

They both nodded, he grinned "Ready to get down the fun way?" he asked them.

This statement paused the two hysterical humans "What do you mean the fun way?" Neville asked and Aralas smiled.

"We jump and I keep us safe" he told them.

"J..J..J..jump?!" Hermione stuttered and Aralas grinned.

"yup" Hermione looked at Neville then at Aralas "I will take full responsibility." He told her "if anyone asks I'll say I dragged you two out here."

She nodded along with Neville "what have we got to loose" she whispered and Aralas grabbed them both in a one armed hug.

"hold onto me" he instructed, they complied wrapping their arms around his waist.

A breath, then he threw the three of them off the ledge.

McGonagall screamed, so did Hermione as they plummeted "look" Aralas commanded and for some reason she did.

Opening her eyes as they fell. Something built in her chest, an exhilaration, a fire that seemed to be emanating from the elf next to her.

Time moved in slow motion. She heard Aralas laugh, hear Neville's and her own joining his, looked to see Neville with a wide eyed smile and a wild grin that she knew matched hers and Aralas's.

She saw teachers drawing their wands and diving… but that was all drowned out by Aralas's voice shouting "FEIM, ZII, GRON" [Fade, Spirit, Bind], the world turned blue and they landed in their feet perfectly safe. She felt numb, as if she weighed nothing and was nothing more than a breeze.

Aralas grinned at her and Neville "See fun!" he cried, his eyes sparkling and a healthy glow in his cheek, Hermione and Neville joined in his laughter.

That had felt exhilarating, wonderful and terrifying.

Their revelry was interrupted by a initially shocked, then wrathful McGonagall who landed mere feet from them and began screaming at the three of them for endangering themselves and various other things, but most of her tirade was lost in her brogue which was now so thick as to be unintelligible.

The other teachers landed and the three students found themselves being frogmarched though the halls up to the headmaster's office.

Aralas looked at his two friends who were beginning to fall of the high from the adrenalin "totally worth it" he told them and they shyly nodded.

McGonagall smacked him upside the head and practically snarled at the Stone Gargoyle blocking their path "SHERBERT LEMON!"

The Gargoyle came to life springing aside, but this movement was quickly aborted when a large spike of ice suddenly became embedded in its throat, knocking its head right off.

"Oops... sorry?" Said Aralas weakly as his enraged head of house turned to glare at him.

Tottaly unrealistic... but so much fun to write. Hope you like


	8. escapes and lessons

**Chapter 7**

"Oh cheer up Sil" Serana told her friend who had sighed for the fourth time in an hour.

"Sorry Rana, it's just… well I miss him." The rather unhappy looking Dragonborn told her friend, looking up from where she was sitting at the kitchen table.

"I know, I miss him too, so I made a few calls." Serana bent down and heaved her friend to her feet, frogmarching her towards the armoury.

A dark figure slid out and looked her up and down. "Damn you look bad sister" the figure said pulling down her face mask and hood.

"Karliah? What are you doing here?" Silandra asked, confused.

"Serana decided it was time for us all to go on a heist, you need to get out of the house." The dark elf told her with a slight smile.

Silandra turned to look at her friend who also smiled. "Suit up nightingale. There's stuff to be taken, I heard that there is a shipment of books bound for Solitude, wanna go shopping?" Serana told her, pulling on the armour she had made for just these occasions, black and skin tight with a cloak, hood and face mask like a nightingale's armour though with different motifs adorning it; not to mention it was enchanted to oblivion and back to keep up with the two nightingales.

* * *

They ran through the wilds of Skyrim, their dark clad bodies sliding through the night like shadows. A few unfortunate travelers had crossed their paths and had ended up with little on their person's except for their small clothes. Silandra looked at her two adopted sisters and smiled, this was something she had missed.

They paused as dawn began to break, sneaking toward a Thalmor encampment, fully determined to rob them blind and make a killing from their gear, when a portal opened from Hogwarts, startling the three women deep into the underbrush.

Aralas's owl Hedwig flew out "L _ady Silandra, you must come quickly! I was told to summon you by the Lioness. She says she needs you to go to the headmaster's office immediately, something has happened to Wood-Brother."_ She screeched, almost incoherent with fear. McGonagall had scared the poor thing nearly to death, yelling at the owl to get Aralas's mother immediately.

To a Nirnian this meant that things were life or death and so the now nearly hysterical owl was setting the Dragonborn on high alert thinking her hatchling was in danger, "Rana, Liah! Aralas is in trouble, with me, standard cover tactics." She commanded, her eyes glowing gold as her draconian and lupine maternal instincts took a hold of her.

"Yes" the two woman said, Karliah drawing her bow and knocking an arrow, Serana charging up a spell. Silandra gripped her amulet and focused on her son's position, determined to rescue her son. "Aim to stun first, if you see a man with a long white beard, hold your fire." She commanded before the portal swirled into existence and the three black armoured women lunged through weapons drawn and ready.

* * *

Aralas stared in morbid fascination at the stuffed vulture that resided on the hat perched on the rather intimidating matron's head.

This was apparently Neville's grandmother who was even now verbally laying into the trembling boy saying things like dishonoured, reckless and idiotic. Things that, to Aralas would only harm the boys growing confidence.

Aralas would have leapt to his friend's aid but he had been immobilized and silenced after he had tried that with Hermione's parents who were doing the same on his other side. His two friends were shrinking into themselves before the face of their guardian's wrath whilst they waited for Aralas's mother to appear, professor Snape was throwing fuel to those two fires and McGonagall was still furious, whilst Dumbledore tried his best to calm the nearly hysterical Lioness.

A portal opened, starling everyone except Dumbledore and the immobile Aralas. A cloud of smoke spilled out of a cylindrical devices and three armed and black armoured women leapt through, landing in a roll and coming up with their weapons trained on the rooms occupants visible through detect life.

The smoke cleared and Dumbledore found himself staring down the shaft of an arrow pointed between his eyes by a lithe figure in skin tight black armour and hooded cape with a face mask hiding identity. Two more women had massive fire balls crackling in each hand and the one on the right was making frightening growling sounds.

"Aralas" the growling woman said "are you alright." the boys neck muscles moved as he tried to speak but was prevented from doing so.

Too late Dumbledore realised that this looked rather bad. He reached for his pocket only to be halted by the arrow pointed at his face being brought a little closer and a warning sound being made. The figure who had spoken to the boy turned and looked at the Mexican standoff.

Lady Longbottom was looking rather furious, standing over her grandson like a divine judge about to render punishment. Neville was frozen in fear and white as chalk.

The two Grangers were in a similar pose but they also had the expressions of the panicked anger of parents who were fearful for their child still frozen on their faces while Hermione was in a similar state as Neville with tears continuing to trickle down her face.

McGonagall and the other heads of house stood there, Snape with his wand half drawn and a dagger quivering in the wall a centimeter from his face. "What did you do to my son?" the woman asked in a low and dangerous voice, a pair of glowing golden eyes gleaming from beneath her hood and piercing Dumbledore to his chair.

"Hmmm, well, he is immobilised" Dumbledore managed after clearing his throat a few times. Silandra's eyes burned golden and she turned back to her son, a globe of green light appeared in her hand and she discharged the spell at her son. The light washed over him and dispelled the Terran wizard's enchantments.

"Thanks mom" Aralas told her, getting up and hugging her. The other parents stared at the small armour clad and hooded woman who's eyes had faded from glowing gold to their normal amber. Aralas looked at the others and his brow furrowed "Mama why are Aunty Rana and Aunty Liah here?" he asked, moving to hug the two women, avoiding jostling Karliah's bow and having her accidently pin the headmaster to the back wall.

"We were going shopping" Karliah told him, lowering her bow and placing the arrow back in its quiver while Serana doused her spells, standing straight and wrapping her arms around her nephew while the others in the room stared. McGonagall cleared her throat breaking the now awkward silence following this statement.

"We called you here Mrs. Stillglade because your son was found climbing school property with Mr. Longbottom and Ms. Granger. This is against the rules and can lead to a significant loss of house points and perhaps even suspension." She informed the elf with thin lips and flaring nostrils.

Silandra pulled off her hood and lowered her mask looking Aralas dead in the eye. "Explain" she told him in a quiet but commanding voice.

Aralas immediately complied, detailing their morning routine of watching the sunrise not wanting to be the focus of his mother's ire.

The teachers, Dumbledore, the Grangers and Lady Longbottom watched in silence, instinctually knowing that a leader was present and letting her lead. Neville and Hermione were using this opportunity to carefully slink out of the immediate range of their guardians and at the end of the explanation were both almost hiding behind their friend. Silandra looked at her son and tilted her head to the side "What did you do to ensure your friends' safety?" she asked him.

"Ropes tying us together at first, afterwards nothing once they became confident" He explained, the tension bleeding from his shoulders.

"And if they had fallen?" she asked raising a delicate brow, Aralas smiled "Jump after, grab hold and Feim." He answered. A small smile appeared on her face "excellent" she told him, ruffling his hair and he grinned at the praise, his chest puffing out slightly.

"You cannot condone these actions!" Minerva said in a scandalised tone and the other adults nodded, Lady Longbottom puffing herself up in preparation to add her voice to the oncoming storm.

"Yes I can lady McGonagall" Silandra told her with icy calm. "Aralas is a Bosmer, we are both highly social and natural climbers. Our natural habitat is the forest of Valenwood were the trees are so large we build our cities among their branches. It is also a part of his nature as Dovahkiin to see his environment from the highest vantage point he can find, the fact that he helped his friends join him shows his willingness to work as a team."

Here she fixed her eyes gently on Neville. "What did you feel when you followed Aralas out there the first time" she asked him gently.

"I was t…t…terrified" the boy whimpered, but found no judgment or anger in Silandra's amber eyes.

"Yet you went anyway? Despite your fear you followed your friend?" she probed, looking at him kindly. The boy nodded, a small tinge of courage rekindling itself in his chest.

Silandra turned to Hermione "and what did you fear?" she asked soothingly, drawing the frightened girl out of her shell with deft ease.

"Being exp..pelled and falling" the girl practically sobbed, causing her parents to look at each other in shame to realise that they had reduced their daughter to tears, their fear driven anger abating in the aura of calm the small elf was radiating.

"Yet you still went, didn't you" Silandra pushed and like Neville, Hermione nodded mutely the three friends drawing together to support each other, drawing strength and courage from their unity.

Silandra stood straight and focused her eyes on the teachers, Karliah and Serana moving to the children and putting comforting arms around their shoulders. "If I remember correctly these three children were sorted into the house that values courage and nobility" She stated, looking at the adults.

"Yes, Gryffindor, my house" McGonagall replied, also calming under the Dragonborns aura.

"Then is it not laudable that these children faced something they feared and overcame those fears as well as ensuring that their fellows did not go alone?"

McGonagall felt trapped. "Yes, but the broke school rule that are in place for their safety." she persisted.

Silandra raised a delicate eyebrow "but they were never in danger, Aralas knows a shout that will cause him and whomever he is in physical contact with to become invulnerable for a period of time. He had proper safety measures in place and a plan for the worst case scenario. Is that also not laudable? He thought ahead, aided his friends in facing their fears, all traits you would wish to encourage in this school if I am not mistaken" she posed this as a question but everyone could see that it was a challenge.

McGonagall met the Dragonborns eyes without flinching. "Yes" she replied succinctly, her Gryffindor courage asserting itself. "But they are my responsibility as I am their head of house. Their safety is in my hands."

Serana made a sound of agreement "she has a point Sil, and she is the equivalent of a thane. There are people under her protection. She didn't know about Aralas's abilities so from her point of view she acted as was correct."

McGonagall nodded and Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Perhaps an arrangement could be made. You three watched the sunrise from that ledge every morning?" he asked, turning his attention back to the three children.

Stillglade nodded "Yes sir."

Dumbledore smiled "Then why not make the path to and from that ledge safe so that they may continue to do it but in a manner that meets Minerva's safety standards.

"I must protest" Augusta Longbottom began and Neville wilted "This boy is obviously a bad influence on my grandson. They should be separated." She stated, turning her eyes on her grandson and his friends.

Surprisingly it was not Aralas who leapt to her friend's defence, but Hermione "You can't do that!" she cried, fixing her brown eyes on Lady Longbottom "Neville and Aralas are my friends. I don't care what you say, but I am not going to lose my very first friends just because you think one of them in a bad example." She told the adults in the room, her eyes blazing.

"Here, here" Aralas cheered at Neville who began to re-inflate at his friends defence.

"Perhaps we should allow the children to make their own decisions regarding their friendships?" Mr. Granger said tentatively.

"If you can promise that Hermione will not fall to her death then I guess there is little we can do short of withdrawing her from Hogwarts." Mrs. Granger added with a sigh.

"I believe an accurate punishment is a deduction of house points for Mr. Stillglade falling to inform a teacher about his ability to keep him and his friends safe, and perhaps some form of detention with Mr. Filch to drive home the point" Dumbledore supplied looking around at the various people now crowding his office.

Silandra and her friends nodded, the grangers looked a little accepting and Lady Longbottom looked ready to spit tacks. "And before you begin shouting Augusta, may I remind you that frank was in similar scrapes with his friends" McGonagall said, heading off the coming explosion.

Now that McGonagall was calmer she realised that it was not unlike some of the many escapades of the Marauders in their hay day, and looking at it from the point of view of facing fears her inner Gryffindor could find little fault with Silandra's reasoning.

"Fifty points from Gryffindor each and detention with Mr. Filch for a week" she told the three children who all looked extremely down cast.

"Aralas has a lesson with Companion Farkas and has invited Hermione and Neville to join him. This is a huge opportunity as he is one of the finest in our company" Silandra said smiling at the three and her left eyelid twitching in the slightest wink to her son. "I believe the meetings will be taking place near you forest" she added, looking at her friends.

"Seeing as we're here we may as well help." Serana said with a smile and Karliah nodded, catching on Silandra's subtle hint.

"Very well off you go" Dumbledore told the three children who all gave tentative smiles and lead Aralas's aunts through the hallways.

Silandra turned her amber eyes on the teachers "on Nirn a message such as the one you sent me would indicate my son was in a life or death situation. I expect you to be fair and demand explanations before you go about punishing your students, she then turned on the parents "Your children need to learn how to be independent, you're shouting and criticism will only damage their self-esteem." Her eyes lingered on Lady Longbottom who met her gaze for a minute before lowering her eyes in submission to the power Silandra was exuding.

"Farewell." Silandra told the assemblage before opening a portal and vanishing into it.

* * *

"Are you guys still going to be my friends?" Aralas asked a little anxiously as they moved through the halls toward the Gryffindor tower to pick up Aralas's equipment and then towards the entrance hall, the two adults pretending not to hear the children's whisperings.

"Of course!" Hermione told him, slightly affronted "Your both my first friends, I won't give you up now."

She smiled and Neville nodded "You guys don't call me useless or a disgrace..." he mumbled "I don't want to lose that."

They continued down the halls with smiles on their faces, their friendship stronger than ever in the face of a threat that could have torn it apart.

* * *

The first thing Hermione saw of their instructor was an impossibly tall figure dressed in what looked like steel and fur armour with a massive broad sword slung across his back with a large chest at his feet. "Hmmm, your late" he grumbled, his voice deep and his brown eyes roaming over them to stop on the two women behind them "You here to help?" he asked.

The tall pale one nodded with the blue skinned elf lady smiled "Can't let you have all the fun Farkas" she told him, her eye glittering with mischief.

"Hmmmf" the man snorted before turning his eyes on the children. "Good to see you pup" he said looking at Aralas who grinned and hugged the big man.

"Hey uncle Farkas" he said before backing up and gesturing to his friends. "This is Neville and Hermione, they want to learn too" he said and the armoured man looked them up and down.

"Hmmmf, fine then, Pup get into your training gear, you two come with me" he commanded turning away.

Aralas nodded and went a little way into the forest, slipping into his leather breeches, boot and leather vest.

Hermione and Neville followed the man to the chest and he opened it, hold ing various sized outfits against them before finally thrusting boots, pants and vest at them and gesturing to the woods from which Aralas had just emerged holding his robes and a belt with a curved golden dagger on it. "Go get changed and hurry back whelps" he told them.

Blushing furiously the two children went a little ways into the underbrush and separated, coming out a few minutes later dressed similarly to their friend.

"You are here because you asked to be" Farkas told them as they stood in front of him and the two women. "As such you will remember to do as I say and not complain. If this is too much or you to handle you can leave but don't come crawling back to me later. This is an opportunity to learn something. Don't waste it" he grunted at them.

Hermione and Neville found themselves resolving to succeed no matter what. This resolve was tested thoroughly in the next half hour. Farkas lead them through stretches and warm ups that had Hermione and Neville gasping with sweat dripping down their faces as the struggled to keep up.

He and the women made them run, stretch, jump, tumble and fall, at one point tossing them through the air so they could learn how to properly land and dissipate energy as well as hurling various things at them as they learned to dodge. Aralas thrived under this, dodging the fireballs his aunt was throwing at them with a grin on his face as he rolled around like a ball, often helping his friends understand moves and landings.

After an hour they moved to weapons, Neville and Hermione working their way through the myriad of training weapons as they were instructed on the basics by Farkas while Aralas sparred with Karliah using daggers.

They paused briefly for a lunch of cold water and a piece of bread for everyone except Aralas, with a large slab of meat and some kind of soft yellow cheese before they continued. It was around three when their lesson was concluded. They trudged up to the castle on legs that felt like they were made of jelly.

"You did this every day?" Neville gasped as they settled gingerly into the soft chairs of the Gryffindor common room, their strange attaire drawing looks from the other students.

"Nothing that intense" Aralas sighed as he dug a knuckle into the side of his neck, relieving a tight muscle with a groan.

"Some of those things he was talking about, have you really been kidnapped?" Hermione asked him, sipping from a glass of water that had appeared near her.

"Yeah, a bunch of Thalmor thought they could get to mum through me. They stormed the house when she was away and kidnapped me. I managed to kill one but they over powered me, I was six at the time. When mum found out she burned their hideout to the ground and hung them by their ankles over the blaze… she can be kind of ruthless" he told them.

The other two looked at him but were too tired to be shocked or revolted.

"I'm going to bed early" Hermione told them, standing and hobbling toward the stairs leading to the girl's dormitory.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, all it will end in is you not being able to sleep the night." Aralas called after her.

"I'll live" she told him with an errant wave. It was five in the evening and dinner would be in another hour.

The two boys looked at each other and with a shrug followed her lead, though Aralas sat and read a book in his bed while Snowpaw sat in his lap and purred.

* * *

A/N- *Sigh* I'm truly sorry for this abysmal chapter. I wrote myself into a corner and then wrote the escape when I was high on morphine….. I was in an accident recently that left me with some cracked ribs, whiplash and a broken leg…. So sorry for being slow on the update. The good news is I'm alive and home safe, though mobility is a bloody pain and the drugs are a little interesting…. Hope you enjoy the insane ramblings every one…

Safe travels, Trojan seeress.


	9. Flying Lessons gone wrong

**Chapter 8- Flying Lessons Gone Wrong**

* * *

The weeks of September slid by in a haze of golden sunshine, crisp air and frosty mornings. Their loss of house points had lead to the three of them being rather hated by their fellow Gryffindors  
and the punishment of scrubbing the trophy room with toothbrushes had resulted in a mildly penitent trio with a desire to now push the boundaries, a thought that before the event would have been terrifying to Neville and downright heretical to Hermione.

Aralas had settled down in classes and was now more or less on the same page as his class mates, though he still had a habit of asking questions in  
class that would drive his teachers round the bend. The biweekly meetings in the staff room after classes with its attendant bottles of alcohol had become a ritual that unbeknownst to the  
participants would endure long after the elf left the school.

For what had quickly been labelled the Gryffindor trio by the rest of the school, their early morning and evening climbs had gradually  
evolved into an exercise of finding the various safety charms and bypassing them. Some nights would see the three of them prowling the darkened hallways in search of hidden passageways and  
secret rooms, not to mention learning to avoid the caretaker Filtch and his demon cat Mrs. Norris. weekends now filled with their physical training and coupled with the mere act of navigating the massive castle had led to Hermione and Neville growing stronger and fitter to keep up with their friend.

It was towards the end of this month that the dates for their first flying lesson was announced. Neville found himself being pestered by his two friends incessantly as they demanded he tell them everything he knew about brooms, Quiditch and everything in-between. The last month had seen a change in the clumsy Gryffindor. hours of work with Farkas and occasionally Karliah had given him coping mechanisms to deal with his affliction. "Every move is deliberate." the dark elf had told him after watching him stumble down from the castle.

"Never make a move without knowing exactly what you want to be the outcome." he had latched onto this advice and would now only make carefully planned out motions. contemplating everything from standing up to reaching for the salt at the table. the end result being that his ability to remain vertical had increased.

Hermione had recived similar lessons. Serana had taken it upon herself to aid the young bookworm, preaching the values of observation and questioning what was assumed to be truth, shaking the young girls faith in authority with tales of her own dysfunctional family and the result of her blind trust in her mother.

Meanwhile Aralas found himself on the receiving end of harsh training that pushed him harder then when at home. Farkas's excuse being that since he wasn't training every day he would have to work harder to make up the difference.

* * *

On the day of their first flying lesson the three walked side by side down the lawn to where the class would be held. "Flying with the Slytherins" Neville sighed as he moved deliberately next to Aralas  
with a steadier gate then what he had possessed a few weeks ago.

Aralas nodded looking to were the knot of green accented students were forming, Draco Malfoy holding court with his bookend  
thugs and the pug faced Pansy Parkinson and muttered "I still think most of his flying stories are all troll shi.."

"Language" Hermione interrupted then cocked her head to the side "though probably accurate" she acknowledged. "and my guess is that Weasely is full of it too" she added looking to where the young red head stood, regaling his uninterested yet captive audience with extremely unlikely tails of aerial daring do.

They eventually all stood in two parallel lines facing the hawkeyed instructor who reminded Aralas of a hunter he had met near Whiterun, eyes fixing on her prey with laser focus. "Welcome to  
your first flying lesson, I am your instructor Madam Hooch. There will be no fooling around in this class or you will be out faster then you can say Quiditch" she informed them sternly.

She stalked down the aisle formed by the two lines and began. "The first thing I want you to do is to stick your hand over the broom and say Up" she instructed them, standing now at the end and observing them with her birdlike yellow eyes.

Aralas turned and stared at the broom on the ground, it looked rather sorry, its handle was scuffed and greying with ages, its twigs poked out at odd angles and looked rather tattered. He stuck his hand over the broom and instinctively reached for his magic "Up" he commanded. The broom leapt into the air but instead of ending its journey in his hand, the broom twisted and halted in front of him like it was waiting for him to mount it. Aralas stared in shock at his now green glowing hand and the hovering broom, hurriedly reaching out to snatch it from the air before the air before the teacher noticed, but too late. "Mr. Stillglade, what did you do?" Demanded Madame Hooch, striding forward to stand in front of him.

"I just followed the instructions" he told her, staring straight ahead as if she were an imperial drill sergeant.

"Hmmph" the woman muttered before turning away and returning to the front of the class "Min did warn me to watch out for that one" she muttered under her breath, unaware that Aralas's sensitive ears had caught her words. Hermione's and Neville's brooms unfortunately did the same thing as his, which caused Madam Hooch to close her eyes and count backwards from five before continuing the class. The three were delighted to hear that both Malfoy and Weasely had apparently been holding their brooms wrong for years.

then once they were all perfectly situated she informed them of how to kick off from the ground and instructed them to hover at around ten feet. Aralas and his friends obey the order but it was once they were in the air that the trouble started.

* * *

Aralas felt his feet leave the ground, air was all around him. In that moment his Dovah Sil broke loose with a vengeance overriding his mind and shoving it into the space it had once occupied.

Instinctively he angled up, spinning like a dervish as he aimed for the clouds, a joyous euphoria filled his chest, bubbling like a laugh. Then as he leveled off near the top of the castles highest tower he Shouted "JIIK BOD STIN" [joy flight freedom]

His Thu'um shook the castle as a blue aura appeared over him he was lost to the world as we swooped and dove, his Dovah Sil reveling in its freedom and suppressing his mortal mind in the joy of flight.

A red beam flew at his back and he twisted away with a snarl, looking over his shoulder to see a figure in black on a broom aiming a stick at him "Meyus joor!" [foolish mortal] he cried his eyes glowing a harsh gold "Zu'u fent kriin hi kolos hi kriist!" [I shall slay you where you stand] and with that he spun in mid air, swinging from his broom and throwing himself at his teacher, teeth bared as he prepared to rip her throat out with what his soul told him were fangs.

Madam hooch stared at the child whose eye now glowed like molten gold he leapt of his broom using it to propel himself towards her. the broom then followed the boy. Using her skill as a beater she twisted away, looking back in time to see the boy catch his broom with both hands, swing around it like a gymnast and threw his body towards her using his new momentum.

what followed was described latter by students on the ground as a deadly game of tag with what appeared to be a human bludger that screamed in a language none could understand, though a few cause a blast of energy to nearly knock the teacher from the skies and caused her to doge jets of flame, frost and lightning. Aralas bounced off of walls, roofs and his own broom as his Dovah Sil attempted to kill the rival in what he thought to be his territory.

It was ten minutes later when Madam Hooch finally got in a lucky stunner that hit the boy square in the chest which knocked him off course, the follow up three stunners finally overcame him and he slumped unconscious as he fell towards the ground. Only a swift levitation charm from a waiting Minerva McGonagall kept him from dashing against the ground and becoming a Bosmer shaped splatter on the ground. As Hooch landed in became apparent that she had not escaped the fight unscathed, her left sleeve was gone from where she had torn the burning cloth away, her face had a long set of three gouge marks extending from her temple too her chin, a quick glance at Aralas confirmed they were from his left had.

Her hair was filled with frost and her eyebrows were singed from a lightning blast. The young Dragonborn was quickly bound and escorted to the hospital wing by three teachers with a limping madam Hooch  
followed, turning away all attempts at help.

With their class cut short the students began to talk of what they had just seen. "Did you see that?" Malfoy's voice rose over the hubbub and reached Neville's ears "Couldn't even fly properly" the young blond sneered to the agreeing jeers of his cronies "Such a savage, going into a berserk fit from flying" he continued "This is why freaks like him should be kept from Hogwarts."

Neville had heard enough, he turned, his eyes filled with fury and rushed for the Slytherin. Hermione saw what was about to happen and leapt for the furious boy, but too late. In a move taught by Farkas he slammed his left shoulder into Malfoy's stomach holding his left arm like a shield and flipping the ponce over his shoulder with his momentum before turning and where Malfoy had picked himself up and  
delivering a punishing blow to Malfoy's tottering form in the jaw.

"You bloody Prat!" He screamed his arms straining as he heaved the boy up and throwing him back as he threw another punch "You ferret faced son of a sewer rat!" he stood over the Slytherin, his face was red and his eyes nearly glowing with his rage as he stared at his prone and bleeding foe "You have no idea what just happened and now your trying to get him thrown out!" He screamed at the boy, unaware of the fact that Professor Sinistra had remained to watch them and had seen the whole exchange.

"MR LONGBOTTOM! " She cried striding towards them "How dare you resort to violence!" she now stood between Neville and his victim. Draco lay on the ground in shock, he had never really experienced pain and now here he was with blood pouring down his uniform and the squib was responsible.

Sinistra continued to berate Neville, but the young Longbottom scion was still running off of his rage "He insulted my friend, whose honour I defended" he snarled at the teacher, shocking everyone except Hermione.

Farkas had lectured them all extensively on loyalty to your shield siblings and Neville had taken those lectures to heart and now had defended his comrade in a thoroughly Skyrim companion approved method, by beating the snot out of the his enemy.

Sinistra stared at the once shy boy, trying to reconcile him with the Neville who had stuttered through his first few classes with this enraged Barbarian. She looked at the last member of the trio who was usually the voice of reason but saw only steely determination and agreement. She had heard of the Granger girl's proficiency with magic and after seeing the look in the young witch's eyes was fairly glad that Neville had been the first to react.

"Detention Mr. Longbottom and twenty points from Gryffindor." she told the boy before adding "And shouldn't you be with your friend." This though hit the two of them and they took off like shots toward the hospital wing, leaving Professor Sinistra to tend to the bleeding Heir to house Malfoy.

* * *

Silandra at her desk in the Winterhold collage. She flipped through the changes she intended to push through to allow the collage to offer a more complete education to it's students at a much younger age.  
the idea had been fermenting in her mind for years as she had watched her growing son but had been pushed through by her tour of Hogwarts.

She loved the idea of a school giving a comprehensive  
education from a young age. Already she had finished the basic proposal. Lessons in all the schools of magic and extending to survival, smithing, academia, and combat. She smiled to herself, a school to  
educate her son and younger generations on how to survive in today's Tameriel and offer an education that would allow a higher quality of mage and fighter to exist.

Financed by her immense wealth and supplemented by the small admission fee of one hundred septims for a years tuition she was sure that it would pull the collage to heights that would rival the Cyrodillic Arcane University and eradicate the Nordic fear of magic.

Her musings were interrupted by a flare of light that indicated a message from her son. She smiled at the young Snowy that landed on her desk " _Hello Hedwig, how are you_?" she asked the snowy cordially.

" _I am well, but your son is not, the pride lady gave me this letter for you and said it was urgent" the owl said ruffling her feathers in agitation and holding out the envelope._

Smile now gone Silandra slit it open and read its contents before leaping up crying "Auriel's Light!" before running to a chest near her alchemy station and grabbing nearly every potion and herb she had collected there before opening her portal to her child. The note lay on her desk where it had fallen its message clear:

Archmage,

your son was injured in a flying class, we urgently request you aid.

Dumbledore.

* * *

She burst into their healing ward in a flurry of maternal angst and professional calm.

Her son was tied to the bed, unconscious as the schools healer waved her wand in complex motions over the boy. "Archmage, thank goodness your here" Dumbledore stood in her way, his blue eyes filled with worry and unintentionally putting himself in danger of bodily harm by placing himself between a female dragon and her hatchling.

"Move" she told him striding forward. Something in her voice must have warned him because he vacated her path swiftly. She stood by the bedside and stared down at her child "What happened?" she demanded of the healer, her hands filling with soft golden light as she too began running a diagnostic spell. The answer was bewildering, there appeared to be nothing wrong with her child. Yet he was unconscious.

"He was in his flying class." the healer told her "Apparently once he got into the air he went berserk, flying up beyond the safety limits and performing dangerous maneuvers. Then ignoring the instructors warnings. She chased him up and tried to coax him down. When he continued to ignore her she sent a warning flash of light at him. he then turned around and proceeded to attack her." The healer gestured over to a woman with short grey hair and hawk yellow eyes in black robes designed to stay close to the body and allow for freedom of movement.

Silandra turned away from Aralas and took note of the torn off sleeve the scorch marks and the bloody scratches that were now healed but still outlined in blood. "What more can you tell me?" she demanded

"When he got into the air, before he went bonkers he shouted something, some kind of spell it covered him in blue light and then he just went insane." the woman answered

"what words?" Silandra asked fearfully.

The woman thought for a moment "It sounded like Jeek bodstin" she answered then cocked her head to the side "come to think of it his eyes were glowing gold when he came at me, kept calling me joor and screaming at me in another language, he seemed almost like a wild animal" she said.

Silandra's heart almost stopped, golden eyes. His Dovah Sil. Turning back to her son she felt a cold dread seep into her gut. "We need to wake him" she told the healer, her voice an expressionless monotone. "

Are you insane?" the instructor asked incredulously "It took my five stunners to knock the boy out, who knows what he'll do if he wakes up?"

The Dragonborn turned her eyes to Dumbledore. "I will need a wizard to accompany me to my world in order to wake him. I will need the space and help from my mentor in this." There was several protests from the staff but she remained unmoved "this must be down now before his Dovah Sil displaces his Bosmeri mind" she told then succinctly.

In the end they acquiesced and Dumbledore accompanied the still form of Aralas and his mother through the portal. They appeared in what appeared to be the top of the mountain. The afternoon sun streamed down and turned the snow fields a blinding white.

A massive form settled down on a crumbling wall and a flurry of snow before revealing itself to be a massive dragon. "Drem Yol Lok Dovahkiin, what brings you to my mountain?" he rumbled, causing the teacher to jump, and reach for his wand.

But before he could do anything Silandra spoke to the beast. "Drem yol Lok Parthunax, I wish this were a time for Tinvok, but this matter is urgent." She gestured to her still bound and unconscious son. "Aralas's Dovah Sil has overpowered his mind and is attempting to dominate his fellow students and teachers. Do you know of a way to cause it to retreat?" she asked, desperation clawing at her heart.

The ancient being sat still for many minutes, hmming and hawwing as he thought. Eventually he turned his head back to her. "His Doavah Sil leads him so treat him as a Dov. Show him your Thu'um is stronger and convince it to return to dormancy. Then you must find out what caused it and prevent it from happening again until he has more control."

Silandra bowed her head "May I use your mountain as a place to do so?" She asked hopefully.

The dragon nodded "Geh, but I do not recommend any witness tis battle." he turned to the terran wizard "Return to your world Joor this is not for you to see" he told the headmaster.

Silandra nodded and gestured. A portal sprang into existence "wake him just before I close it" she instructed, all but herding Dumbledore through. Dumbledore barely had time to cast the Enervate spell before the portal cut off.

* * *

(A/N the following dialogue is all in Dovahzul) She stood and waited, the spell had hit and his glowing golden eyes had opened slowly, then he strained against his bonds and snapped them like cobwebs.

He snarled as he sprang to his feet "where am I?" he demanded, his voice far deeper then usual.

Silandra allowed her dragon to surface but held it on a tight reign "You are at the throat of the world, now bow down and respect your better, hatchling" she growled at him.

With a furious roar he launched himself at her only to be blasted back by her shout of "FUS" he picked his body up and lunged at her again this time suffering from a blow of "Fus Ro" his eyes looked dazed but he doggedly heaved himself up and shouted at her "Fus Ro Da!"

his Thu'um was weak compared to hers and barely knocked her back a step. She snarled and gathered her voice "Yol!" she cried and he was engulfed by flames, she saw him struggle under their weight before falling to his knees within the blazing inferno and once the fires had passed he stayed there, his head hanging in defeat.

"You are still superior" he acquiesced.

"Return to the dark of the mind youngling or I shall be forced to make you" she snarled at it.

With a cry the dragon soul retreated, leaving his eyes soft forest green again as opposed to harsh gold. Aralas blinked at her twice before rasping out "Mama?" and pitching head first into the snow in a dead faint. She smiled softly and picked the boy up. Wrapping him in her outer robe and sprinting down to the monastery below.

* * *

It was nearly a week before Aralas returned to school dressed in a set of thick grey robes and with a more subdued attitude. When pressed his answer was that spending a week in high Hrothgar would do that to anyone and silence if pressed further.

He had approached Madam Hooch at the breakfast table and bowed low before speaking to her in a quiet voice so only she could hear. What ever he had said had lead to the flying instructor walking round the table and hugging the young elf gently before sending him back to his table.

He had smiled at the story of why Neville now had a months worth of detention in the hospital wings and why Gryffindor was twenty points less. Malfoy and his cronies had sent some truly nasty torments at him in a merciless bid to spark another episode to get him expelled but in vain.

Eventually he had explained what had happened to his friends, he had explained how the act of flying had caused his Dragon soul to overpower his mind and how he had been lost to the dragon until his mother had literally beaten it back into his subconscious.

The two humans had listened and after a deep discussion had decided it didn't change anything about their friendship. He had hugged them in tears that night. An end result of this even though led to Aralas being banned from flying until such a time as he could keep his soul in check.

* * *

"Before you leave I have an announcement for you all" McGonagall told them as the bell rang, pausing them in their rush to pack up.

"Yesterday we recived an invitation for all first year students to go on a field trip to the Winterhold college of Skyrim." this caused many of the students to begin talking excitedly before quieting under McGonagall's stern glare.

"This field trip has been approved by the board of governors and will be for the week before Halloween. It will include a tour of the college, a tour of the ancient ruins of Saarthal, a series of introductory classes in their magic and a day trip to the capital of Solitude during Market day." She held up a stack of papers "these are the information packets, the fieldtrip is being funded by the Thane of Skyrim, an extremely wealthy and influential member of society and advisor to their high queen in partnership with the Archmage of the College."

She paused and looked over them "This is a once in a life opportunity and you will be representing not only our school, but our world. For those of you that go, know that you will be considered ambassadors of our world and society. Also once the numbers are confirmed you be required to attended a session on Tamrielic etiquette and culture with Mr. Stillglade to prevent embarrassment."

This caused several glares to be sent in Aralas's general direction, still unpopular after his point loss and feared after his flying incident. These glares were not lost on McGonagall who cleared her throat .

"For those who feel worried about Mr. Stillglade after the flying incident know that it was due to a medical condition that in not contagious and now fully under control. Also know that forms have been sent to your parents already so as to ensure that no one forgets and that all are readily informed." she smiled thinly at them all "Dismissed.

* * *

A/N

Hey everyone I'm alive! big surprise I know. So I am truly sorry of leaving you lot high and dry for so long but I have been having a devil of a time with the hydra known as life... anyone know how this monster is vanquished? Any who I am sorry this is so short and I hoe you enjoy this twist on the flying lesson. And Ahh Halloween, a time for redemption friendship and TROLLS! Mwaahahahahahahahaahha anyway hope you all enjoy and to anyone out there loyal to this story, I beg you aid me in my defence against the hordes that come for me with of torches and pitchforks.

Safe


	10. Announcement

Greetings to all my beloved readers. It is with a heavy heart that I make this announcement.

I find myself unable to continue this story at the current moment due to a collection of personal misfortunes and the curse of writers block. Therefore I must put this story on hold. I thank you all for your overwhelming support, it has been truly humbling to hear that you all enjoyed what I created. perhaps I will write again some day in the future. If you have some suggestions for this story please PM me, I will gladly accept your help.

Until such a time as I ride again: journey safe and far,

Trojan Seeress


	11. A Godparent's visit

**Chapter 9- A Godparent's visit**

Silandra stood and stretched, her vertebrae popping as they slid back into the correct place. She was in her quarters at the College finishing the last of the logistics for the upcoming visit from the Hogwarts students. She gathered the legion's reports of the securing of Saarthal and the letter from the jarl of Winterhold cataloguing the security measure being put in place around the revitalised city. She put them into a neat pile and walked over to the door, pulling her furred hood up against the perpetual chill and walking down the stairs.

In the hall of elements Brelyna was lecturing to a group of five younger students all eleven years old in the arts of Alteration, across the Hall Onmund was demonstrating basic wards to another group of the same age. She smiled at the scene, proud that her plan to expand the college was working. Hogwarts had been the key for her to implement the thoughts of getting younger students to be permitted into the college, something she had been pressing for, for years, now Winterhold was possibly the best school in the north and certainly one of the few in the empire that offered a thorough education.

They taught reading, writing, the beginning of the bardic arts, all the schools of magic, archery, hunting, survival skills, alchemy, the more thief oriented skills, smithing, weapons work and the warrior arts. It had begun four years ago but she had managed to lower the application age to elven after holding the example of Hogwarts up to the many naysayers she had encountered. The college had been repaired and expanded, towers and halls added to enlarge living and working spaces, the midden cleared out to add more space, the Arcanum had been enlarged much to Urag's delight and the hall of the Elements had become a central area for classes as well as gatherings and feasts for the populous.

The entire population was almost two hundred all told with classes divided by year and towers that they lived in: Attainment, Countenance, Assurance, Conviction and Tenacity. But there was none of the silly infighting she had read about in Hogwarts, The halls were merely for ease of communication and scheduling. She continued outside and smiled, proud of what she saw.

The courtyard had been changed, cleaned and swept of snow it had been transformed with statues and benches, warm amber lanterns filled the once gloomy and cold courtyard with a comforting light and the liberal use of runes warded and heated the area, making it a nice place to sit and converse. She strode past the statue of the mage to the midden entrance which had been widened and fitted with stairs, which she wandered down. Passing through the ice clad halls and poking her head into the various training areas.

Sweating and soot streaked students toiled at forges under the eye of Thorald Grey-mane, the heat from the forges was used to heat the baths just above them, Serana stood in front of a collection of older students and demonstrated the correct care and harvesting techniques for deathbell in the garden alchemy lab as she taught both subjects, and Necromancy in another classroom. Her mere presence aiding in the acclimatisation of mortals with a Vampire. Beyond that several of the older members of the companions drove a group of fifteen year olds through a series of drills using swords.

In a room filled with climbing equipment and dummies covered in bells Karliah worked with a class of fourteen year olds in the art of pickpocketing and she smiled, many of the guilds and even the legion had begun recruiting straight from her college, there was talk of teachers migrating up from Cyrodiil and beyond in a desire to teach at this school, which had become renowned for its tolerance towards the races of Tameriel.

She grinned to herself, the whole idea behind this was to end the hostilities among the many races by promoting understanding. People who had been taught how to make a healing potion by a vampire, how to swing a sword by a werewolf, how to smith by a Nord and to heal by an Argonian would be more open, Nords who understood magic would fear it less, Altmer living and sharing their days with imperials would make friendships.

It was a long goal but one she was determined to see through so Aralas could live in a safer world. Finally she reached the locked door that only she held the key to, she shot a complex spell at the door and then used a mundane key on it. Swinging the ancient oak door inwards and entering the cleaned and improved room.

"Hello Auger" she called and a small blue light appeared

"hello Arch-mage, how are you?" it asked curiously.

She smiled and sat down in one of the chairs, lighting a candle with a flick of her fingers "really well, the preparations for the visit are progressing nicely, Have you any thoughts on it?" she asked and the orb seemed to hum to itself, flickering and pulsing as it puzzled the question.

"Allies and family will be among the delegation." He muttered "potential students and potential family among them as well. Some may find their current place of learning does not allow them liberty to grow others may find their true home here. we will see in two years" it answered finally.

She sighed, knowing that he had actually spouted a prophesy, touched by Azura as he was "I see. Thank you Auger, now how is that family of Saber cats you were last telling me about?"

* * *

Sirius Black shifted in his conjured chair at the back of the classroom where he sat with the other chaperons, including Molly Weasely, Kingsely Shacklebolt, Hestia jones, Dianna Abbot and several other parents who had volunteered for the job. He watched as the young boy at the front of the class who was flanked by two other children lectured about the world they would be traveling too, but in all honesty he wasn't listening. His mind was drifting back to the conversation he had, had with Dumbledore just before.

 _Sirius sat down across from Dumbledore, a confused expression on his face "Why do you want me to be a chaperone for this field trip, you know that I will probably be a terrible influence on those kids" he asked, a smirk growing as he though more about what kind of mayhem he could throw around._

 _"Yes Sirius, by this is important, this has something to do with your godson." Dumbledore's voice was soft but Sirius felt like a lightning bolt had blasted through him, his heart ached and the familiar guilt poked its head up from where it had been sleeping._

 _"Why did you bring that up? They're all dead because of me." He snarled at the headmaster who sat unperturbed_

 _"maybe not" the ancient wizard said before holding out a folded sheet of paper to the younger man._

 _Sirius took it and unfolded it. Staring at the spider web of black ink that covered it, reading through the names until he reached the last one and gasped, the paper beginning to shake in his hand. "Is this accurate?" he whispered, afraid to hope but feeling a sliver of it appearing._

 _Dumbledore nodded "as much as it can be, I have not confirmed it with his adopted mother but I am fairy certain that our young Mr. Stillglade is indeed Harry Potter, your godson. This is why I want you to be a chaperone, it will give you a chance to meet with his mother, see where he grew up and hopefully get some answers."_

 _Sirius looked down at the paper with its names again, tears beginning to run down his cheeks. "I'll do it" he told the headmaster, his voice thick with emotion._

 _"Good, they are holding their orientation today at eleven in the transfiguration class, I assume you know where it is?" Sirius nodded and stood, carefully folding the parchment and placing it in an inner pocket._

 _Turning and heading for the door, his hand was on the knob when Dumbledore spoke again. "Sirius, please don't confront the boy yet, he has a great deal on his mind at the moment, speak with his mother first, and I beg of you, don't do anything rash."_

 _Sirius turned back to the aged Headmaster, his face sad "I was rash before, and it lost me my brother and my godson. I won't make a mistake this time and lose my hope of finding him again." He replied sadly before opening the door and descending the stairs._

Now he stared hard at the young elf and tried to see something of his best friends in the boy. He found that once he had grown accustomed to the general angularity of the boy's face, that he could see little things, certain mannerisms, like the way the boy gnawed on his lower lip like Lily had, or the way his hands moved that looked like James.

Most of these were swallowed by his elven characteristics and he wondered if he was just pressing them on the boy because he wanted it to be true, but these small things gave him hope, something he hadn't had in eleven long years.

He mentally returned to the classroom and watched as Aralas gestured to a picture of a large furred creature with three eyes and monstrous teeth "This is a frost troll and they are native to the province of Skyrim. We shouldn't encounter any but there is a chance that once may have wandered near Saarthal or Winterhold in between patrols. If you see one, turn and run as fast as you can, get back to the group as fast as possible. They are not to be approached and they can regenerate from whatever you throw at them."

He said this simply, as if it were a perfectly normal thing for a monster to heal itself and the class shivered at his description of an encounter between a troll and the city guards. Many had gone pale at the scene he painted, and all of them determined to never stray from the group.

* * *

"Why can't we were our own robes?" demanded Ron as he stared at the green and leather novice robes he had been given.

"Because the temperature in Winterhold is well beyond what our robes are designed to handle, now stop complaining and put them on!" Aralas snapped at the obstinate redhead who obeyed but complained loudly and bitterly about having to wear "snake colours" as he called them.

Eventually they all assembled in the great hall, the students all in the novice robes that had been lent to them for the duration of the trip. The Chaperones were in heavy winter robes and everyone had a bag filled with their toiletries, sleepwear and whatever was on the list they had been issued for the visit.

Professor Dumbledore entered and looked over the party, smiling genially. "Well, it is time for you all to embark on this magnificent adventure" he told them all and the students quieted "I don't need to remind you all of how privileged you are to experience this and I do not need to remind you that you all represent our school and out society. I urge you all to not take risks and to be ambassadors to the College of Winterhold" he told them all his eyes twinkling merrily. He pulled out his watch and nodded "Your portal should be arriving soon, good luck all of you" he told them all and they all settled down to wait.

About five minutes later and large sphere of purple and blue swirled into existence and a tall female elf with golden skin dressed in black and red short robes stepped out. She looked over them with her hard golden eyes and nodded. "I am Faralda. I will be transporting you to Winterhold from where you will enter the college. Please do not stray from your designated groups. Now please form into your groups and head through the portal." She said in a calm and powerful voice.

The students were in shock, it was one thing to see Aralas, he was their age, and had quickly fallen under the category of uninteresting. But this she elf was six feet tall and her skin looked like it had been gilded, they fell into their house groups with their accompanying two chaperones and were directed through the sphere of energy.

Sirius held his breath as he passed through the sphere, it felt like walking through a fine curtain of water, only he was dry when he emerged through to the other side. He opened his eyes and gasped in amazement. He was standing with the Gryffindor students on a large open patch of snow in front of a pair of large gates, the sun shone brightly down and made the snow covered mountains nearby shine like they were made of silver.

The air was cold and their breath hung in front of them, many of the students shivered and pulled their hoods up, now grateful for the warm robes "oh my goodness" Molly breathed in awe and he nodded in agreement. Several guards in white armour and with conical helmets gestured them over to the side. "No Lollygaggin'" one of them called.

"Move over so the next batch can come through" another commanded and the stunned Gryffindors obeyed, the other groups came through and Faralda followed last. "Right thank you for making that easy" she told them, "Now it is time for you all to enter the college." She told them, striding through the shallow snow up to the gate. "I am Faralda of the College, open the gates!" she called and the heavy wooden doors swept open.

Sirius led the group after Faralda and stared openly at the town before him. The buildings were sturdy and designed like Viking long houses, decorative dragon heads adorned the gables and residents watched them from their porches and from the sides of the road as they passed. A young man with shoulder length dark red hair and a short beard of a similar colour stood at the doors of a large hall, he wore fine clothes and had a silver circlet with three blue gems.

"Greetings visitors, I and Kyr, Son of Kraldar, Jarl of Winterhold and I welcome you to my hold." He told them and Faralda bowed from the waist, gesturing for the Terrans to do the same. There was some mutterings and a small yelp as someone was hit upside the head, but they all bowed and he inclined his head to them. "Good, now I believe that you have a college to enter. I shall see you at the welcome feast tonight" he told them a smile hiding in his short beard.

The groups straightened and followed Faralda onward. Their first sight of the college took their breath away. It rose defiant and impressive on a pinnacle of stone that held it a good three hundred meters the cold and ice filled sea that surrounded it. A narrow stone bridge spanned the gap, it had obviously been rebuilt, portions of newer stone faintly visible where it joined with the older materiel, with tow circular landing in between spans.

The college itself had six massive tower that rose high and proud with one of them being even taller and lined with glowing blue stained glass and an eye sigil near the top. Encircling the pinnacle a tall wall rose half the height of the towers, giving it an air of strength and invulnerability. It was made of solemn grey stone and sat impassible on its perch a high cold wind blew around them, carrying snow on its freezing breath and chilling them.

"Welcome to the College of Winterhold" Faralda announced to them smiling at their awestruck faces. "not too long ago it was traditional for applicants to be tested before they were allowed to enter the collage, but now you must demonstrate your skills to be allowed to leave at the end of term" she told them smiling.

Hermione raised her hand "what if you are unable to pass?" she asked curiously and Faralda smiled "You can leave for the term when you pass, until then you remain in the college, if you are still unable by the start of the new term you repeat the year" she explained and several of the students looked at each other in horror at the idea of never leaving school if you failed.

Faralda seemed unconcerned by their expression and turned to the bridge again, leading them across. They followed her in silence, several of the girls looking green as the studiously ignored the drop in either side. Faralda stopped at several points on the bridge to cast a light spell on wells filled with some kind of icy looking blue liquid.

Behind him Sirius could hear Hermione muttering to someone "I read that the current Arch-mage rebuild the college, even using magic to reinforce the pinnacle the college sits on so it could support the weight of the new buildings. The lighting of the wells on the bridge refers to the pursuit on knowledge for each student entering the college." Sirius thought about it and realised that it made sense, but he was still wondering what had happened to this college to require such extensive repairs.

The entered the central courtyard and Sirius felt rather awestruck. The chill wind died out and the air grew warmer until it was merely cool, not biting cold. "Welcome guests!" a voice cried and they saw their reception. A short woman in hooded blue grey robes trimmed with fur stood at the head of a contingent of robe and armour clad beings they were all kinds from humans to walking cats and lizards, to elves with dark blue and grey skin. Some had armour and weapons others wore robes with only a few earing staffs.

Sirius fought to not stare, but his eyes were caught by the small woman in the front. Her skin was the same tint as Aralas' and her amber eyes had the same sharp gaze, he felt like he had seen her before somewhere, then he met her amber eyes and felt like he had be hit with a shocking jinx his nerve endings were tingling with some kind of energy and he almost gasped, almost unable to pull himself from her deep eyes.

"I am Silandra Dovahkiin Stillglade, Arch-mage of this college. I and my fellow teachers greet you to this place of learning." She told them all, her voice warm and friendly with a slight hint of command.

Sirius stepped forward and performed a full bow "Thank you Arch-mage for allowing this opportunity" he replied, still staring into her eyes and giving his best roguish grin.

Her cheeks darkened slightly before she nodded "Wonderful, Come we will show your where you will be staying. Before we give you your tour" She told them and led them to one of the towers. "This is the hall of Tenacity, it has the least amount of students so you will all be staying here for the duration of your visit" she told them.

It took around half an hour to get everyone sorted. The tower was very tall and the floors were actually balconies that surrounded a well that held a glowing blue pillar of light that reach all the way to the ceiling. It also turned out that the light was some form of lift, Aralas demonstrated by hopping into it and getting off at each floor. Unfortunately it only worked one way so they had to take the stairs down. The rooms were small, with one bed and a small desk, a wardrobe a bookshelf and a nightstand.

The beds were narrow and were covered in a deep green comforter and the rooms had no doors, the arranged it so they were divided by gender rather than house, with several floors allotted to them. Afterwards they were divided back into their house groups and assigned to an instructor who would show them around the collage. Sirius Molly and the Gryffindors were assigned to a stunning woman with snow white skin, black hair and glowing orange eyes who introduced herself as Serana Volkihar, Mistress of Alchemy.

Aralas had smiled at her and given her a hug when no one but Sirius had been watching. She had smiled at him and whispered something before pushing him back to the group who was still unpacking. Sirius wondered what their relationship was, they appeared to be close, but he decided to put it on the list he was preparing for when he met Aralas's mother. He had to admit the college was very beautiful. It was clear that it had once been an austere and gloomy place, but now it had been transformed amber lanterns lit the halls and rooms, tapestries and rugs covered the floors and fireplaces burned in many of the rooms to ward off the perpetual chill.

The lower portions of the College were carve from ice clad stone but the classrooms themselves were warm, but filled with an odd assortment of materials. There was a bit of an uproar from molly when they found the bathing room, which contained several pools of water at varying temperatures and was used by both sexes, but Sirius managed to calm her down by proposing a schedule to keep the boys and girls separate.

By late afternoon they were all hungry and a little footsore, a loud gong sounded and they followed Serana from the upper towers where they taught Astronomy, which was apparently very important to the Nirnians, even dictating your skills, depending on what sign you were born under, or what ingredients would work on you.

They followed Serana into the large tower directly opposite the bridge, she called it the hall of the elements. Large curved tables had been set up in concentric rings around the room and it was beginning to fill with other robe clad individuals, there were several youngsters their age of varying races and the children found themselves seated with them near the center of the circular room, under the eyes on the older students, with the teacher sitting on the outside ring of the large circular room.

Sirius looked from where he had been placed near the outer ring and noticed that he was sitting near the Arch-mage. Her hood had been pulled down revealing her long pointed ears and he realised with a flash that she was Aralas's mother. Her ears were long and reached an elegant point, far cry from her son's oversized ears, which apparently meant he still had some growing to do. Her eyes were exotic and slanted, her nose was thin and her face had the same angularity as Aralas but in a much more refined manner.

The door opened and the Jarl strode in accompanied by several retainers. The jarl sat down on Silandra's other side and his followers sat down in the second ring. Once everyone was seated Silandra stood, all eyes swivelled to her and the talking died out. The Hogwarts students looked at each other nervously but sat very still and watched her like everyone else.

"Welcome All!" she called, her voice seemed to boom slightly, filling the space easily. "This welcome feast is in honour of our visitors from Earth. They are here to experience Nirnian culture and magic, I expect each and every one of you to follow the rules of hospitality and treat our guest with respect due to a fellow student. Students of Hogwarts I expect you all to show curtesy and respect to your trainers and teacher as well as a respect for our customs, whilst you are here." She told them all and the Winterhold students nodded, some puffing up their chests in pride. Whilst the Hogwarts students seemed to run a gambit of emotion ranging from disbelief, to agreement to pride in the case of a few.

"Now then, we shall pay our respects to the Aedra and begin this excellent meal." She held out her arms over the halls and spoke "Blessed be the divines who gave their power to create Nirn and blessed be our patron Magnus, without whom we would not have knowledge of the Arcane."

The whole hall bowed their heads "So mote it be" the Nirnians murmured and Silandra sat down, smiling to herself and beginning the feat by reaching for a large steak.

Around him Sirius saw Serana sit back in her chair sipping from a large stone goblet, the space in front of her empty, while several spots down from him the armoured bunch were eating a rather rare collection of meat, drinking from large tankards and laughing.

"Here" Silandra told him, pressing a similar tankard into his hand and motioning fro him to take some food.

He sipped the gold liquid inside and realised it was mead "you serve alcohol in a school?" he asked her and she looked at him nonplussed

"of course we do, what else would we drink?" she asked him and he shrugged

"Juice, water, tea." He answered and she looked at him like he as stupid

"most of those are rather dangerous to drink or don't last long enough. Don't worry the young ones have watered down cider, they'll be fine" she told him and Sirius grinned, this trip was beginning to look up.

"Arch-mage I was wondering if I could speak to you at all in private sometime this week" he requested and Silandra smiled at him

"of course, I have an empty slot at lunch tomorrow. Would that suffice?" she asked and Sirius nodded smiling.

"Wonderful, now then. Tell me about your education in Hogwarts" she prodded and Sirius laughed, launching into his rather sordid past as a member of the Marauders.

Later that night after they had retired, Sirius sat on his bed and thought about what he had seen today. Silandra turned out to be just as mischievous as him, regaling him with tales of the pranks se had pulled with Serana on the various denizens of the province. He smiled as he changed into his pajamas and curled up under the covers. It had been a good day.

* * *

A/N I have returned. I want to give a large thanks to Hermes6034 and Mystborn for pulling me out of my funk and helping me find my muse again. Hopefully this is a permanent return. Thank you each and every one of you for your support and well wishes, they all contributed to my recovery of my spark. Now let us ride into the unknown once more.

Safe travels, Trojan Seeress


	12. Mother meets Marauders

**Chapter 10- Mother meets Marauders**

Draco Malfoy groaned as his shoulder was shaken by a rough and calloused hand "wake up whelp, it's time for training" the voice was gruff and masculine, the Malfoy heir batted at the hand and felt a vague annoyance when the hand did not leave him be. "I said up whelp!" the voices growled and a sharp shock hit him between the shoulders.

He squealed and shot upright, a green skinned brutish looking creature with a jutting lower jaw and black hair in a topknot dressed in green plate armour was glaring at him balefully. Draco stared at the orc in front of him for a moment in shock before opening his mouth and screaming in terror. That woke the rest of the floor, in fact the rest of the tower as adults scrambled from their beds to see what was causing one of their charges to scream like he was being tortured.

They saw a thoroughly unimpressed orc standing at the foot of Draco's bed staring at the screaming boy who was huddled against the headboard trying to find his wand.

"What is the meaning of this?" Octavius Bulstrode demanded over the screams of the Malfoy heir.

"Oh shut up!" the orc roared at Malfoy who immediately complied, quivering under the orcs glare. "That's better, my name Nargoz Gro-logar. My jobs to wake the boys up and take 'em all too early morning training."

Octavius stared at him then sheathed his wand "and the boy started screaming?" he asked and Nargoz nodded.

"Acted like I was a Deadra fresh from oblivion. Anyway since your all up here" he grunted and lobbed a bundle at Malfoy, it hit him in the chest nocking the wind from him and shoving the others into Octavius's arms give these to the others. "Breakfast is served after training so if you don't train you don't eat." He told them marching back down the stairs once on the floor he bellowed up "get those clothes on and get your sorry arse's down here now!" he bellowed from near the door.

Draco unraveled the bundle dazedly inside was a simple leather vest, a woolen tunic and trousers wrapped around a pair of knee high boots and tied with a belt. "If you're not dressed in three minutes you won't eat!" came the threat.

Stumbling Draco clumsily pulled on the clothes and ran down the stairs after the other boys on his floor. Near the door he saw the Gryffindor trio standing next to the green skinned man looking far too comfortable in the ugly clothes. "Right" the orc called at them running his eyes over the assembled students.

"This is how your day will start whilst you're here. We are going to go through the morning exercise. You are from Tenacity hall so you will divide up into groups of five and follow your instructor as if they are one of the divines is that clear?" he demanded and there was a collection of stunned nods. "Good" he said and led them out into the dark courtyard where several armour clad men and women of various species waited.

"Took your time Nagoz" growled and tall man with black hair and a beard filled with braids and a black strip of war paint across his eyes.

"Yeah whelp made a fuss about being woken up by an orc" Nargoz replied looking at Draco pointedly. Draco for his part did his best to turn invisible under that gaze.

"Hmmph a milk drinker is he?" the armoured man snorted and there was a collection of snorts before the man addressed the students "Right divvy up into groups of five and wait for an instructor. We're going to work on strength and endurance this morning so get ready to sweat. Anyone who complains is going to have to stand on the top of the Arcanum in their smalls until they have frostbite on all four limbs. Won't kill you or damage anything thanks to our healers but it'll still hurt. So no complaining!" he commanded them fixing a ferocious glare on Draco who shrank even more, all thoughts of spouting his favourite threat of calling his father buried under pure fear. "Good. Now form up" he called.

Draco found himself shepherded over to where Stillglade and his two friends were waiting along with the Weasely. "No I'm not going to be anywhere near a Malfoy!" the Weasely yelled and Draco found his courage again enough to sneer.

"Nor I with a two blood traitors, a freak and a Mudblood" he told the others venomously. The Gryffindors trio merely looked bored but Weasely turned as red as his hair and leapt for Draco only to be stopped with a gurgle as their trainer, a rather formidable looking golden skinned female elf in heavy golden plate caught him by the neck of his vest and heaved him up so he dangled like a cat by its scruff.

"No" was all she said simply before she turned her icy blue eyes to the others in the group. "I am Shana Gaeal. Your trainer, I'm the one who's in charge of you five whilst you're here" she told them in an icy yet cultured voice that sent shivers down Ron's spine before turning to a smirking Draco "And you. There are rules for this. Come" she commanded grabbing him by his collar and heaving him up so he to dangled from her grip like a kitten.

"What are you doing?!" demanded Molly Weasely shrilly starting forward.

"Lady Weasely these two have attempted to harm each other. Therefore I must end this fight. My group shall be departing. Worry not they will be returned in good health." Their trainer said firmly before turning away and leading Aralas, Neville, and Hermione away, Draco and Ron swinging slightly in her grip as they struggled weakly.

* * *

She led them up onto the wall where the wind blew unimpeded off of the icy sea, the sky was clear but snowflakes still drifted on the wind. "You three start running!" she commanded her other charges. Without question Aralas, Hermione and Neville took off, jogging easily to warm up along the broad wall top staying close together and trying not to shiver in the cold. The other trainers joined them, sending their charges around the wall, soon all the college including teachers and students were making laps around the college, some having an easier time with the cold than others. The trainers drove their charges onward with shouts and occasional shocks at the heels gradually increasing the pace as their muscles loosened.

They fell into two groups, the younger students from Tameriel hanging back with their Hogwarts counterparts due to leg length and general fitness levels possessed by the older students who outpaced them. The Chaperons cautiously approached to where Shana was holding Draco and Ron.

"Now you two" she turned her attention back to her victims both of whom shook under her stare and struggled to breathe, she smiled nastily and approached the wall edge and held them out over the battlements, causing both to become wide eyed in fear and hold very still. "It seems you two have a little bit of a feud going on hmm?" she said raising her eyebrow at them. The two boys shivered in both cold and fear while nodding, Ron caught sight of his mother being hit with a full body bind and a silencing charm from Sirius who had an evil grin on his face.

"Well then there is only one solution for such a problem." Shana declared jovially shaking them again, they swung above the three hundred meter drop precariously as sheer terror settled into their bones. She lifted the two boys up until they were at eye level with her and she glared "any more insults from either of you and I'm going to set you two in the arena with enough Drauger to make Skuldafiin look empty until either one of you dies or you get over yourselves. Do you understand?" she told them her voice far colder than the wind that gusted over the battlements. The pair looked at her uncomprehendingly and she shook them hard and knocked their heads together "Understand?" she snarled and the two began to nod furiously, fighting to see past stars that now floated past their eyes.

"Good" she replied and brought them back to the wall and dropped them. They hit the ground hard bruising against the unforgiving stone. "Now get running, the pair of you" Shana commanded and they scrambled to their feet, their legs trembling and took off after the others, Shana loping along behind them throwing lightning at their heels and driving them to catch up to where Aralas Neville and Hermione jogged at the head of the younger students in the steadily growing light of dawn.

* * *

An hour later of running and stretching the students stumbled down the stairs to the courtyard where a curved stone table that sat near the wall between Countenance and Tenacity was laid out with a pile of warm loaves of dark bread sat next to a large block of soft butter and stack of wooden bowls with a large metal cauldron further down the table emanating a huge column of steam. The smell had all the students' mouths watering as they were herded into line behind the other members of the college.

A young man with blue eyes, shoulder length blond hair and a kind smile handed out the loaves while a motherly looking woman with bright blue eyes and long steel grey hair pulled up in a bun presided over the cauldron wielding a ladle as she served the leftover and reheated stew into the wooden bowls, at the end of the table was a large pitcher and a stack of wooden tankards with barrel of apples and several wheels of cheese. Exhausted the students followed their hosts into a line and copied them as they grabbed a loaf and cracked it open to reveal the steaming warm inside before slathering it with the butter and tossing in a pinch of rough salt.

This they then carried to the woman with the cauldron who handed them a wooden bowl filled with left over stew from the night before, a hunk of strong yellow cheese an apple before they filled a tankard with the water and trudged over to one of the benches where they collapsed onto anything flat and out of the way before they began tearing into the meal. The Hogwarts visitors were silent as they crammed the food into their mouths but the college students chatted and socialized like they were sitting at tables in the great hall.

* * *

Sirius grumbled to himself as he took a long drink from his tankard, he had eventually joined in with the exercise out of curiosity and now regretted having done so, true he was fit and healthy but to start this early was just disgusting, though he was pleased to notice that Draco was silent, looking rather shell-shocked as he mechanically ate his food. Someone sat down next to him and he looked up to see the arch-mage Silandra lounging on the bench next to him studiously eating her breakfast, though he noticed she had no apple.

"Good morning Master Black" she said cheerily and he grunted, but that didn't deter her "how was your morning run?" she asked and he glared at her.

"Why do you have to make us do it so bloody early" he demanded but with no real venom. She laughed at him before replying with a smile.

"Healthy body, healthy magic. It's no good having huge mana reserves if you don't have the stamina to back it up." She told him matter-of-factly before turning back to her food "I was just going to remind you that you have an appointment with me at and hour after midday."

She told him and he nodded, staring at his bowl of food mumbling "Thanks"

Silandra smiled and stood taking her now empty bowl back over to the table where several students took her bowl and tankard, placing them into separate tubs before she walked back to her quarters to handle more paperwork.

* * *

Breakfast was a short affair and before they really knew what was happening the Hogwarts students were herded back to their dorms to get their clothes before being swept up in the tide of students and teacher heading to the baths. Despite Mrs. Weasely's protests they were shoved into the tubs and ordered to scrub with all the other students, though the Nirnians were polite enough to separate the genders into different pools and separate them with a screen, older students showing the visitors how to use the various soaps and shampoos provided.

The older women even showed the younger girls a nifty hair drying spell, though none but Hermione could perform it. Sirius couldn't help but snicker at the stink Draco had raised about having to bathe with "Mudbloods, blood traitors and freaks" as he called them, several of the Slytherins agreed only to be harshly informed by a nearly seven foot tall blond warrior with a particularly nasty set of scars that covered his torso and face that if he didn't wish to bathe with them then he wouldn't bathe at all, nor would he be allowed food and be put on dish duty if he continued to use such foul language. Needless to say, that had shut the blond ponce up quickly though he scowled and sneered at everyone around him.

It all happened so quickly that in less than an hour and a half after they had exercised, they all stood in groups of ten in various classrooms with their college fellows. The classes were endlessly interesting, though a bit frustrating for the Hogwarts students. They were shocked by the decree that wands were little more than useless crutches and the casual descriptions of divine beings and realms that they used for their magic. There was a class where they were given a short poem about someone called Ragnar the red that they had to have memorized and ready to present by the fourth day. There was basic magical theory taught by a dark skinned elf woman named Brelyna who had a kind smile and wicked aim as every time Draco tried to use the word freak, Mudblood or blood traitor she would throw a stinging bolt of lightning at him, it quickly became apparent that she had excellent ears.

* * *

The third class was a combination of Alchemy and Herbology as this class was longer. This was taught by the black haired woman Serana who was a fount of information about the endless combinations and recipes for combining the various ingredients of Skyrim.

"Excuse me Mistress Serana" Hannah Abbot asked curiously after her raised hand had been acknowledged "why do your eyes glow?" There was absolute silence as the college students looked at her in astonishment and the Terran students shuffled uncomfortably.

Serana blinked at the question before cocking her head to the side slightly before smiling widely, revealing a pair of razor sharp incisors "My eyes glow because I am a vampire, a vampire is a deadric affliction whereby I am sensitive to sunlight, am immortal and have to drink the blood on sentient beings in order to survive" she replied casually.

There was dead silence in the room for a moment before one of the Ravenclaw girls screamed. This started a chain reaction where most of the Terran students for that class began to panic, though Sirius noted that Aralas, Hermione and Neville remained calm. "I believe this is an excellent time to make use of the calming spell you have been learning" Serana called to the college students. There was nodding before each of the College students shot their counterparts with a green glow which caused them all to calm down, even against their will.

Once they were silent, the whole class was then treated to an in depth description of Tamrielic Vampires and werewolves. Sirius had been astonished to discover that many of the armour clad individuals in the college were Werewolves and had resolved to track them down to see if they could help Remus. The students were given little time to complain or even breathe as they were whirled through their classes. Lunch was again in the main courtyard and served by the same woman and young man.

The lunch was made up of thick slices of bread stuffed with chunks of warm venison and a thick soft cheese that could be augmented with a spread of what turned out to be extremely powerful horseradish. Some brave Terrans tried it with mixed result, a tankard of weak cider, ale or water from a spring deep in the college were set out in pitchers to be drunk and went well with the brief meal.

Then they returned to their studies, this time turning to the magical side, with the combined class of Destruction and restoration, this was achieved by one group spewing fire, ice and electricity at the other group who were holding shields and healing those who failed to hold out. This style of rough training had Molly Weasely almost hysterical, thought once the teacher (a red haired woman by the name of Elyssia) had taken the Weasely matriarch aside and spoke to her in low, yet firm tones, she calmed down enough to stand silently in a corner.

* * *

"Excuse me, Master Black" Sirius looked up from the tome he was reading to see a fourteen year old blue skinned elf looking at him "the Arch-mage is ready to see you sir" the girl told him and he nodded following her up through the icy halls to the courtyard above and from there up yet more stairs and into a magnificent room. In the center was a garden filled with flowers and a small tree with a fountain burbling in the center.

Pale blue lights hovered in the garden and a heavy oak desk sat tucked into an alcove near the door where Silandra sat with her back against the wall, the surface was covered in stacks of paper, parchment, books, slates and a book stand containing a heavy leather bound tome sat at her left elbow pages half full of charts and numbers.

"Master Black, good to see you" she told him, not standing but looking up at him with a smile. "Please sit" she invited gesturing at the chair in front of her with a black quill. "What can I do for you?" she asked setting her quill carefully in her inkwell and folding her hands on the desk, her amber eyes boring into him with friendly curiosity.

Sirius took a deep breath and lifted his hands up to brace them on her desk, his fingers clutching the edge tightly. Silandra's eyes flicked down to his hands and ran over the blotchy scars that covered them, looking back up and cocking her head to the left. "I was wondering if you are Aralas Stillglades mother" he asked quietly. Confused Silandra nodded, watching him with a mixture of curiosity and caution.

Sirius took a deep breath before taking the plunge "is he adopted?" he asked, striving to hide the hope that tried to break though.

Silandra's eyes fixed on him sharply "why do you wish to know?" she demanded frostily.

Sirius swallowed and began "ten years ago my brother in all but blood James Potter and his wife Lily was betrayed. They were murdered by a dark wizard named Voldemort. They were in hiding with their son, my godson, when Voldemort attacked. He killed James and Lily, but something killed him too, destroying the house they lived in. There was no sign of little Harry, no body, no ash, nothing to tell for certain if he was dead or alive. I've been searching for him ever since and when your son came to Hogwarts Dumbledore had a suspicion that Aralas might be Harry. If Aralas is adopted then it would be a step to finding out if he truly is my godson."

Silence hung over them both after he finished. Sirius turned his gaze from her piercing amber ones and instead studied the marred skin on his hands, marks from the night he had failed his brother and dug through the burning rubble of their house in search of Harry.

"If it turns out to be true what will you do?" Silandra demanded firmly.

Sirius looked up to meet her eyes once more "I want to meet him, be a part of his life, help raise him, and be there for him like I should have been for all these years. There are some who would want to control him if it got out that he survived but I just want to meet him again and know that he is safe and happy."

Silandra stared into his eyes and he tried to project his sincerity and desperation to her. The staring match lasted for nearly five minutes as each strove to read something in the other's gaze until Silandra sighed and leaned back "I believe you. Yes Aralas was adopted, an Aedra appeared to me holding a human child with thick black hair and emerald green eyes. When I accepted him he became mine through blood and spirit. He is my son, and I will not let him be taken by the Terrans." She told him, a resignation in her eyes though the last part was said fiercely with a protective gleam and Sirius nodded.

"Did he ever say anything that sounded like Padfoot or Moony at all?" he asked hopefully.

Silandra cocked her head to the side and considered "not that I remember but I would suggest you ask Serana, she is his godsmother and has helped me raise him."

Sirius blinked and nodded "if he is Harry could I… could I meet him?" he asked quietly almost afraid of the answer.

Silandra's gaze softened a little as she looked at Sirius her eyes moving back to his hands. "How did you get those?" she asked staring at the marks "I have seen enough wounds caused be destruction magic to know a burn scar when I see one." She said gently and Sirius flinched before answering in a broken voice.

"The house was destroyed, the nursery was the worst hit. Lily was little more than a husk, I dug through the rubble hoping to find Harry. But it was still burning and like an idiot I forgot I had my wand to put out the fires before I shoved my hands into the flames. Later I asked them to let me keep the scars as a reminder of my failure."

He looked up to see Silandra's face filled with sympathy "I know how that feels" she said simply "I lost a dear friend ten years ago, and I still bear the scars from that encounter. When I look at them they remind me of those I have lost." Her voice was quiet as she joined him in his silent remembrance. Eventually she broke it again "did Dumbledore have any proof for his suspicions or did he send you on a hunch?" she asked, her eyes sharp as her mind turned over the implications.

Wordlessly Sirius dug out the well folded piece of parchment and handed it to her. She took it gingerly and unfolded it, staring at the black lines that spelled out her family tree and joined through the name of her son to the Potter family. "How was this made" she asked her voice quiet yet filled with deadly promise.

"I don't know how he got it but a small portion of the person's blood is added to ink that is then applied to a parchment that has been steep in a lineage potion. The resulting tree is considered to be extremely accurate." Sirius replied.

He jumped back as Silandra released a fearsome snarl her eyes burning a harsh gold as she growled "he stole my hatchling's blood?" Sirius felt tendrils of fear creep down his spine as she fixed him with her wrathful gaze "he would never have willing submitted his blood to a mere joor! How did it happen?!" she demanded and Sirius fought every instinct in him that screamed to run and hide.

"I don't know" he said, fighting to keep his voice free of trembles, knowing from his time with Remus that showing fear to such a predator would only make it worse. "I was given the parchment without being told how the blood was obtained. Getting angry with me will not give you answers" he told her with false calm.

Her eyes twitched and then returned to their original amber. "I will be looking into this." She promised in a steely voice. "The family tree on my side was correct and I assume the other half was verified?" she continued and Sirius nodded and she sighed "then it would appear that yes your Harry and my Aralas are one and the same. What shall we do now?" she asked, curiosity regaining a place in her eyes.

Sirius smiled hopefully "my other friend Remus would also love to meet harry again, he was James and my friend. I know that Hogwarts students are let out for the Christmas holidays, maybe we could celebrate together, get to learn more about each other, begin a friendship and let the last of the marauders to be a part of our pup's life" he said hopefully, watching her as the verdict was on her. She could deny him the ability to be a part of his Prongslet's life or grant him the chance to make up for his failure. Silandra's eyes looked deep into his own grey ones and he noticed how rich and beautiful they were.

"Yes. I shall grant you the chance to meet him and join us for his holiday from school. Whether or not you remain as a part of his life is up to him" she answered gently.

Sirius let out an ecstatic whoop and leapt to his feet jumping round the desk to heave to startled elf out of her chair. He swung her up and around in jubilation before he kissed her full on the mouth before realising what he had done and letting go of her and jumping away, embarrassment was quickly overrun by his happiness though. "Thank you, Thank you so much" he choked, a tear slipping from his eye. "When can I meet him?" he added hoping to direct the elf's mind away from what he had just done.

Silandra was blushing a deep crimson as she straightened her robes and tucked a stray hair back behind one pointed ear. "If you wish you can meet during the free period this evening. He is due to visit me, as he is my son I can't show any favoritism whilst he is here but he can still visit me." She paused and considered something. "You said there was another who wished to meet him. If you wish I can set up a portal to him so you can retrieve him and explain the situation."

Sirius's eyes lit up before he realised that he couldn't "I have to remain as a chaperone" he told her dolefully and she snorted.

"Nonsense, they are well and truly safe, our teachers and instructors are among the best fighters, thieves and mages in the province. The children will be well cared for. Go and bring your friend here and we shall discuss this new development until my son comes to speak with me tonight." She told him firmly striding toward the open space before the garden.

Sirius stared at her in confusion and amazement "how are you so calm about this? How are you so accepting of this?" he asked her in astonishment.

Silandra laughed "my life and family has not be normal since the day I left my father's home in Falinesti. If I didn't roll with every new revelation or event I would have been destroyed long before I entered Skyrim. Think of it as three hundred years' worth of practice. She told him with a chuckle. "Now tell me more of this friend of yours" she commanded and Sirius grinned.

* * *

Remus J. Lupin stared at the nearly half empty bottle of Firewhiskey and sighed. It was almost Halloween and now more than ever he had to fight the call of that god damned bottle. The first few years after Lily and James's death he and Sirius had taken turns climbing into a bottle to fight against the guilt. The only times they were sober was when they were madly searching the world for some sign that Harry was still alive.

Though no longer constantly so intoxicated that even his wolf staggered during the full moon, he still had to fight the urge to return to its burning embrace the closer it got to Halloween. Now, with it just a week away he could feel its siren song once more. There was a flash of deep purple light that had him leaping back, drawing his wand and knocking the evil bottle from the table, where it smashed on the floor. Not that Remus noticed as he was too busy fending of the eager Sirius Black who had bounded from the anomaly.

"Moony! Moony! I found him! I FOUND HIM!" the over excited man cried grabbing his shocked friend by the shoulders.

"Found Whom?" Remus managed to splutter as Sirius shook him in a frenzy.

"Harry Remus HARRY!" the man cried "Come on, his mom is waiting, we'll both get to meet Prongslet!" he cried.

Remus's eye grew wide and he stared at his friend "Harry?" he whispered and Sirius nodded enthusiastically, dragging him toward the portal.

"Come on Moony, we have to vet you past his mom. Get your wolfish ass through the portal!" Remus paused for a second before nodding and letting his adopted brother drag him through.

It felt like walking through a curtain of fine, cold mist only to emerge dry on the other side. The room on the other side was circular and made of stone. A high ceiling and a small indoor garden gave an impression of power but the warm lights and thick carpets with a merrily crackling fireplace gave it a feeling of warmth as well. Near the portal stood a small woman approximately five foot three with deep bronze skin, bright amber eyes, black hair and most astonishingly, a pair of elegant pointed ears. She was dressed in dark blue fur lined robes and wore a silver and blue circlet on her head. There was a sparking sound and the portal behind him closed with a snap.

"Moony this is Arch mage Silandra Stillglade. Mother of Aralas Stillglade, who we knew as Harry Potter." Sirius said joyfully beside him, gesturing to the elf woman before he added using the pureblood manners he'd never used before. "Lady Stillglade this is my friend and the other member of the Marauders: Remus John Lupin, also known as Moony."

The pair of them weren't listening however. Remus stared at her transfixed as his wolf went berserk inside him, clawing at his mind to get the reaction needed from him. Silandra's eyes had grown darker and there was a low throbbing sound in the air. It took Sirius a moment to realise that it was a growl. She bared her teeth and revealed a growing pair of canines and snarled once. The effect was immediate, Remus submitted to his lupine instincts and knelt, baring his throat and staring directly into her eyes.

She stared at him, her eyes hard before they softened and she broke the spell by smiling and walking over to him and helping him stand. "I see that you know how to greet an alpha young one." She said with a smile and Sirius gaped as he looked between the two.

"You mean…" he began and Silandra nodded "I am one of the wolf blood, much like your young friend here. The difference is that he does not embrace his gift." She turned her gaze to Lupin with a sad expression "those who do not embrace their wolf blood are doomed to forever fight with it, leading to repression which in turn leads to forced transformations during full moons. Were you not taught how by your sire or dam?" she asked curiously.

Remus could only shake his head in astonishment "I was bitten by a wolf notorious for his enjoyment of biting children and leaving them to be killed by their families or ostracised by society, I've never met a werewolf who has had control of their form" he said sadly only to jump back when Silandra snarled.

"As A CHILD! And then he just left you?" She demanded, anger snapping in her amber eyes "And NONE of you know how to control your wolf?!" she cried staring at him in shock.

He shook his head and she turned away, marching towards her desk with a purposeful stride and muttering to herself, Remus's keen ears picked up portions of them "…circle, can't allow… bastard down... not safe."

She scribbled furiously on a sheet of paper before holding it near a pile of blank sheets and snapping her fingers. The paper was copied three times before she walked to the door to the balcony and gave a long screeing shriek. Four large screech owls swooped towards the balustrade and she quickly tied each letter to one of their legs. All the while chattering and hooting to them. The four gave a hoot of acknowledgement and swept out into the cold wind, disappearing in a swirl of snow laden air.

Silandra turned back to the confused pair and waved her hand as if to dismiss what had just passed. "We'll get back to that later. Now then, Sirius here tells me that you were a family friend to James and Lily Potter" she said walking back over to them and ushering them into a small sitting area next to a fireplace. Remus nodded slowly, still in shock and Sirius grinned.

"Then I guess we should get to know one another until my son visits this evening" she said with a smile. The two men nodded eagerly and began their story. Silandra laughed and cried, admonished and praised at all the right points and when their tale came to an end she returned the favour.

What followed had both men with their jaws on the floor with the werewolf's eyes the size of saucers, he had almost gotten to his knees to beg for her to teach him how to control his wolf when she described her own experiences as a werewolf and Sirius had done an exaggerated kowtow to her when she had told how she had tricked the entire province to think that her friend Mjoll was the hero they sought whilst she robbed them blind.

They listened in rapt attention as she told them of raising her son and laughed at the stories she had told of his scrapes and pranks, proudly declaring that only a son of Prongs could get into that much trouble. The sun had begun to set and the tales were wrapping up.

"So when can we meet him?" Remus asked tentatively, Silandra smiled and was about to answer when there was a loud knock at the door.

She turned her large eyes to the men with a smile and said "right now."

* * *

A/N- TaDA! see told you I would keep writing. It just takes time as I am a student with a mountain of homework. Hope you all enjoy and a continued thanks to my sounding board Mystborn and the kind and wonderful Hermes6034 who has played a vital role in ensuring this story continued. I hope several of you have spotted the romance I hope to pursue and like it as much as I do.

Safe travels everyone! Trojan Seeress


	13. Matches met

**Chapter 11- Matches met**

Aralas stretched out his back as he waited in front of the door that led to the Archmage quarters, letting out a deep sigh of contentment as his back popped a little and the tension was relieved. Idly he tugged at his clothes to straighten the familiar wool and leather of his robes and ran a hand through his hair to tuck any escapees back into line.

When the door opened he smiled warmly at his mother who stood in her Archmage robes with the hood down and the front undone showing the undyed cotton of her shirt. "Aralas" she greeted with a smile and he bowed hiding a small grin "Archmage the Terran wizards have completed their first day. I am sorry to report that there were no fatalities" he reported as solemnly as he could.

Silandra blinked then mock scowled "damn, we'll just have to try harder." She then leaned forward and caught the back of his robes and pulled him up with a strength that was belayed by her small frame. He hung in her grip limply as she held him rather like a mother saber cat would with her kitten as she carried him into the room.

"Enough of that, Aralas I would like to introduce you to Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. They have something to tell you." She told him, depositing him in front of two human men.

One was the chaperone for Gryffindors, an imperial of medium height with shoulder length black hair, a roguish smile and mischievous grey eyes. Those eyes were now focused on him like those of a hawk and the smile hidden behind an expression of careful neutrality.

The second man was much taller and thinner Breton who looked downright malnourished in brown patched and threadbare robes with short sandy brown hair that was liberally littered with grey hairs. Small scars littered his face, some looking years old and he carried himself with a slightly stooped posture as if he was trying to make himself appear smaller than he was, almost like a wolf when it as submissive. His light brown eyes watched Aralas with an almost desperate hope.

"Aralas, you know you were adopted, these two were friends to your original parents." Silandra supplied when the two men remained silent.

Sirius stepped forward and knelt down in front of him. "I am your godfather. Your parents' names were James and Lily Potter. Your name before you came here was Harry. Remus and I were best friends with your father at Hogwarts." He paused and licked his lips and looked down. "We were hoping we could be a part of your life pup" he said quietly.

Aralas stared at the man, then up at the other, Remus Lupin he reminded himself. Remus looked like he wanted to hope so desperately but was afraid to. Aralas cocked his head to the side and stared at the two men, his eyes flicking between the two of them. "Are they telling the truth Mama?" he asked seriously, his gaze never wavering.

"They are" Silandra replied from behind him.

"Do they want to take me away from my home and you?" he asked again and he saw a flash of fear in Sirius's eyes.

"No we don't" Remus said quietly, kneeling down to the same level as Sirius.

"Do the names Mooney and Padfoot ring any bells? Sirius asked him curiously, still not moving. Aralas cocked his head to the side again and considered them, digging through his memories from when he was young. His nightmare of the green flash was the closest thing he could remember.

"Sorry no, my earliest memory is of a scream and a green flash" he told them quietly.

Sirius sat back with a small intake of breath and Remus flinched before looking at him with slightly teary eyes.

"The killing curse. That's what the green flash was. It kills instantly, no reprieve, no counter curse." The tall Breton told Aralas, his voice a little thick. Aralas considered the two of them, thinking through what they had told him before turning to look back at his mother.

Silandra stood a few paces from him, her face grave as she watched the scene before her. "It's your choice Aralas, if you want to get to know them then we will invite them over during the winter break. If not then they will not be joining us" she told him, her face calm but serious.

Aralas turned back to them and considered for several more minutes before he nodded once "I would like to get to know you both" he decided. The pair blinked as what the boy had said sank in. "you do?" Sirius asked and Aralas nodded again.

Sirius let out a joyous whoop and lunged forward to pull the boy into a bear hug. Standing and swinging the boy around. Aralas was a little startled but he was used to more physical hugs from his aunts and uncles in the companions. Farkas in particular liked to swing him around as if he were little more than a Bosmer shaped sword. Remus was smiling happily, as if the New life festival had come early. Once Sirius put him down they went and sat near the fire.

The men telling him stories of their Hogwarts years. It was perhaps an hour later when another knock sounded at the door and at a shout from Silandra opened to reveal Serana. "Sil I didn't know you were entertaining. Should I come back later?" she asked uncertainly. Silandra looked scandalised but before she could say anything Aralas had already darted forward and dragged the vampire over to his seat, pushing her into it before jumping into her lap and curling up against her cool frame.

"Sirius, Remus may I introduce Serana Volkihar, my sister and Aralas's Godsmother. Serana, Sirius and Remus were friends with Aralas's original parents." Silandra introduced, her lips twitching as she watched her son slowly begin to drowse in the vampire's arms. It had truly been a long day for the young elf. Serana smiled down at her Godschild and began to stroke his hair, eliciting a soft purring noise before she turned her sharp orange eyes to the pair.

"Really" she mused staring them up and down, Sirius and Remus shuffled a little under her piercing stare, each trying valiantly to look unaffected. Serana hummed softly to herself as if she had confirmed something before turning her eyes to Silandra "I think that you owe me a story or three Sil" she declared after a moment, still petting Aralas's hair.

Silandra grinned and began to recount the situation to the amused vampire who had begun to hum a soft tune to the now sleeping figure in her lap. When it was finished the vampire turned her attention to the elfling before standing smoothly. "I think we can continue this in a little while. I'm going to take him to his bed." She declared to the nods of her companions.

She cradled the limp frame in one arm as she opened the door that led to the Arcanum, intending to do a final sweep for younger students on her way down.

She was met by a rather irked Urag. "I don't care what you have to do but get her out of here so I can close and clean." He demanded pointing to where a bushy haired figure was passed out on a book, her form nearly hidden by the stacks that surrounded her.

Serana sighed and stalked over to where Hermione was ensconced, wrapping an arm around the young girl's waist and gently heaved the girl up, cradling her in her other arm and shifting the pair until they were balanced on her hips. If she hadn't been a vampire she wouldn't have been able to support an eleven year old in each arm, but she managed.

She bid good night to the foul tempered orc who muttered to himself about oil stains on parchment as the door closed behind her. She stepped lightly down the stairs and nudged open the door to the hall of elements with her foot. The hall was empty and the candles were out, leaving only the center magelight to illuminate her way. Not that she needed it. She pushed open the front doors with her shoulder and kicked it shut behind her as she strode across the empty courtyard, humming a soft lullaby to her charges.

The door to tenacity hall was a little harder as it needed to be pulled open. She stared at the door, her fangs worrying her bottom lip as she pondered the problem, and then she had an idea. She shifted Aralas a little so her hand was free and used a telekinesis spell to open the door. Smiling smugly she slid through the open door and into the warm hall. There was a frantic looking red haired woman who came rushing over to the entryway.

She sighed in relief seeing the two missing children but froze as she noticed Serana holding them. "Good evening Mistress Weasely" Serana greeted calmly, striding smoothly past the woman, taking the children to their rooms. "Aralas passed out talking with his mother and I and I found Miss Granger in the Arcanum. Poor girl passed out from exhaustion if you believe it." She told the matron calmly as she placed Hermione in her bed and then leapt into the lift to step off at the third floor, from there she when to the small room and slid Aralas into his bed and pressing a kiss to his forehead, he mumbled a bit and turned on his side before settling.

She smiled at him before she turned and simply jumped off the balcony and landed lightly in the well before she strode calmly to the door, pretending not to notice that the matron was checking the necks of her charges for bite marks. She paused for a moment to allow her eyes to adjust to the dark courtyard before she stalked back to the hall of elements and the small gathering in the Archmage's quarters. Settling back into her chair and turning her gaze to her friend. "Now about that story" she purred watching her fiery eyes turning to fixate on the two wizards.

* * *

Malfoy was not happy. In fact he was a far from happy as it was physically possible to be. He lay in his bed and moaned at the pain in his side where one of the college students had landed a heavy blow with a training staff. Though truth be told his entire body was in similar condition, bruises littered his body and a small cut was still on his cheek below a truly magnificent black eye. The instructors had refused to heal the injuries as they deemed them "minor" and told him that if he couldn't heal them himself then he would have to wait for nature to do its work.

He would have sneered at that thought if his black eye and split lip would have allowed it. He was humiliated and unhappy, every exercise set to them he had failed miserably at, from the alchemy to the poetry. He thought back to the letter his father had sent him before this nightmare began, urging him to show the barbarians the measure of the house of Malfoy, to not allow himself to be bested by those of lesser blood. Instead he had been beaten soundly by a cat who had merely shrugged at the end of their bout, a look of satisfaction on its face before it had walked away to tell the instructor that Draco was unable to continue.

After that mutters of Milk drinker had followed him through the halls, even members of his own house looked at him with uncertain expressions, though they too were in similar shape. The second day had been no better, the morning exercise was even more hellish than the day before due to his aching muscles and the classes continued along the vein of magic that he didn't understand. He had been too exhausted to complain about the food or protest in the baths, not to mention the looks he was receiving from all the college members was pitying and just a little hostile. He stifled a small sniffle that might have belonged to a sob. For the first time in his life Draco Malfoy was being treated like he was nothing, and he didn't like this feeling. He turned over gingerly and closed his eyes, praying sleep would take away the pain.

There was a sound in the doorway but he ignored it hoping that whoever this person was would leave him to his misery. "Hey" a quiet voice called from the door, it was male and had the same accent he associated with the majority of the students. "Are you all right?" the voice asked again and there was the soft sound of footsteps coming closer.

"Leave me alone" he mumbled, his eyes still tightly closed and hoping he would leave.

The side of his bed dipped as someone sat down next to him. A hand was gently laid on his shoulder and the voice spoke again. "If you continue like this you won't make it much longer. Take it from someone who knows."

This caused the Malfoy scion to open his eyes and look at his visitor. He was tall and thin, looking to be about seventeen, his skin was pale and his dark brown hair brushed his shoulders. A pair of concerned brown eyes looked at him and a sympathetic expression sat on his face. "Why do you care?" he asked in a thick voice and the boy sighed.

"You remind me of my little brother. I don't want what happened to him to happen to you." The older boy admitted, a flash of grief passing over his face.

"what happened to him?" Draco asked quietly, uncertain if he should ask.

"he thought that since our father was the jarl no one would dare get on his bad side. And in town it was true, but the bandits came through, they didn't care who he was and cut him down where he stood." The older boy told him, his eyes watching Draco closely.

Draco swallowed in slight fear as the boy continued "you need to learn that your blood means nothing if you don't do you share. It gives you nothing beyond your appearance. It will achieve you nothing if you do not fight for it. You claim that your ancestry makes you superior, but know this: we all have ancient ancestry. We all have families that go back generations. They wouldn't be families otherwise. You are not special because your family knows the names of those hundreds of years ago, the only way that you can achieve is if you are willing to bleed for it, to fight for it. To die for it." The older boy fixed his serious eyes on Draco's steel evident in his gaze.

"No opinion should matter but your own. If you only spout the words of others, then you are their slave, they then own you as long as you speak their words. Remember that little one." With that chilling speech the boy stood and walked to the door, turning at the threshold and adding "right now you are a slave to your father. Until you learn and speak for yourself you will be the worst kind of slave, the one who wants to be enslaved. Goodnight." With that he turned and left the room.

Draco felt the words ring in his ears _you are a slave_ he shook his head, trying to drive those words from his mind but the stayed, echoing with dreadful overtones. He felt tears well up in his eyes and stream down his face and he fell back onto his bed, curling into a small ball clutching his pillow as he buried his face in it and heaved great gulping sobs into its muffling embrace, eventually falling into a restless slumber that was filled with shadowy dreams where he toiled away in a gleaming house wearing only a ratty pillow case as massive beings shouted unintelligible words at him angrily.

* * *

Remus Lupin shuffled nervously and fidgeted with the strangely decorated dark brown leather armour the soft fur lining and the heavy grey fur cloak warded off the chill of the cold morning. A pair of tall fur lined boots with thick soles guarded his feet and warm fur gloves covered his hands to the elbow.

A thick tooled leather belt encircled his waist and from that hung a simple steel sword and dagger. His wand was slid into a slim sheath that sat on the inside of his right boot like a dagger and a fur lined leather hood sat on his shoulders, ready to shield his ears. Wrapped around his throat was a woollen scarf that was stitched into a circle and could be pulled up over his face to protect it from the icy winds that blew off the sea.

The entire outfit felt strange but comforting at the same time, as if they were the opening words to a new chapter he desperately wanted to read. He, Silandra and Sirius were standing in the dark courtyard waiting for someone to arrive, on the whole the Archmage had been very quiet, speaking of his condition not at all, merely telling him that he would go to stay with experts on all things werewolf and extricating a promise that he would listen to them, not that she needed to. The promise of a way out of the nightmare of his existence, whether through a cure or through mastering his curse was too much for him to not give his complete and undivided efforts. He had no idea where the students were but he knew they were preparing for a field trip to somewhere outside the campus and as a result the courtyard was dead quiet with only the faint sound of wind in the leaves to break the silence.

A hand fell on his shoulder and he looked over a Sirius gratefully as the shorter man who he viewed as his brother smiled at him gently. "It'll be fine Moony, they can help you" the dark haired man reassured and Remus nodded, taking deep cleansing breaths.

The sound of hard boot claimed his attention as a trio strode through the gate. It was a woman and two identical men. The woman wore leather and metal armour that hid little and hugged her form tightly and over that a russet furred cloak to ward against the chill. She had long auburn hair decorated with a few braids but what drew his attention was the three long slashes made of emerald green paint that decorated her face, icy blue-grey eyes stared out from their green background and gleamed with a wild light. The two men behind her were obviously twins though one had his dark hair short and wore dark grey armour with a wolf motif.

The other had long hair filled with braids and dressed in heavy metal plate with brown fur around the edges, showing the insulation. His wolf informed him that they were from the same pack as Silandra, with the red head being her beta. The trio stalked toward them and inclined their head to Silandra before the woman stepped forward and hugged the Archmage. The pair exchanged a few whispered words before she turned her pale eyes on Remus, eyeing him carefully and seeming to dissect him down to his very soul.

"I see what you mean Sil, he looks terrible" she remarked before striding over to him and grabbing his chin, forcing him to meet her eyes.

He made an attempt to free his face but was silenced when she growled at him. She turned his face this way and that, examining the scars that littered it and gave a huff, releasing him and looking back at Silandra "This will take a while" she informed the elf who nodded "but it can be repaired." The red head assured before turning back to Remus.

"I'm Aela, this is Vilkas and Farkas" she indicated her companions "We're from the Jorrvaskr pack, you're coming with us and we'll get your wolf sorted out." She told him briskly and he nodded, almost in shock. The woman turned on her heel and walked back out through the gate "well? You coming or what new blood?" she demanded over her shoulder. He shook his head to clear it and hurried to follow her out into the cold, snow laden air.

* * *

"This is Saarthal, the capital city of the seventh empire of the Nords. Its destruction led to Ysgamor mustering the five hundred companions and leading them in war against the snow elves. This is where twelve years ago Master Tolfdir and then apprentice Stillglade found the eye of Magnus and set off the chain of events that would lead to her becoming the arch mage during the incident that we discussed yesterday" the blond man told the assembled Hogwarts students as he lead them through the dusty and partially restored archeological site.

The children looked around with wide eyes at the ornate dragon heads that loomed over them in the massive atrium and some of the girls grew wide eyed as they walked over the scaffolding to the entrance of the passage that lead to the chamber that held the eye.

"What's that smell?" asked a young girl from the Slytherin group, wrinkling her nose at the scent of balsam, dust, rotting wood, rust and an almost sickly sweet odor that permeated the tunnel.

"That Ms. Greengrass is the smell of a Nordic burial chamber, the wrappings they used to preserve the bodies after burial have a very distinct smell due to the oils that they soaked in to keep them from rotting. This is combined with the oils used on the corpse's skin and the herbs packed into the abdomen to prevent the dead from rising as Drauger. The slight smell of smoke is from the Drauger that Archmage Silandra had to burn through to clear this path." The teacher answered jovially, ignoring the slightly green complexions of his charges as he continued.

"We now believe that it was the practice of the time to leave a few strategically placed bodies untreated but still mummified. These would be left to guard the tombs in their afterlife." One of the Ravenclaw girls screamed as they rounded a corner to see a desiccated husk of a corpse propped against the walls, its hands clutching a sword and its face set in a terrifying leer.

"Though some of the guards never turned it seems" the teacher added as he continued to walk confidently through the halls, leading the shivering students onward into the earth.

As they walked Aralas quietly pointed out things he recognised from his mother's story and smirked when Weasely touched one of the Drauger on a dare from Dean only for the corpse's sword to fall with a clang onto the boy's foot. He had given an almighty yell but had quickly stopped when the eyes of everyone turned to him. The instructor had simply given Ron a stare that could have ignited wood and turned away, leaving the embarrassed boy to shuffle along with a bruised foot for the rest of the trip.

* * *

Lucius Malfoy, pureblood of wizarding Britain, acknowadged third richest man in the same area, member of the dark lord's inner circle and the man who practically owned the minister for magic Cornelius Fuge sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose whilst his other hand spun an expensive crystal tumbler filled with Ogden's finest reserve.

His lucky star seemed to have waned since the day he had lost his money pouch in Diagon alley whilst shopping for his son's school equipment. Almost overnight his world had shifted, all because of the arrival of one being: Silandra Stillglade. In one fell swoop she had shattered years' worth of work, strolling into the atrium of the ministry with a dozen heavily armoured soldiers and holding a document that contained a message from the Empress of an until then unheard of empire in a newly discovered world and delivered by a woman who claimed to be a wood elf from the realm of Valenwood.

The fact that the Empress herself had eventually stopped by to verify the truth of this statement had truly thrown the Wizengamot into turmoil that hadn't been seen since the statute of secrecy had been placed into effect. The fact that the world of Nirn had no muggles had only deepened the chaos that now gripped the wizarding government. He took a deep swallow of his Firewhiskey and closed his eyes as the comforting burn slid down his throat. His son had not made matters better, alienating the ambassador's son who had chosen to attend Hogwarts as a sign of goodwill.

He cursed his son's stupidity again, if Draco had befriended the boy it would have opened up a literal new world for the house Malfoy to expand their wealth and influence. Instead the boy now had a dim view towards all things Malfoy and by a larger extent all things pureblood, though his friendship with the Longbottom scion was a small ray of hope in the agenda of pureblood supremacy.

There was the soft tapping at the window indicating an owl and he placed his glass down with a sigh before he heaved himself up from his deep leather chair and strode to the window. A sleek barn owl rested on the sill and regarded him with regal black eyes. It held out its leg and he took the crisp white envelope from its ties with practiced ease, slitting it open as the owl ruffled its feathers once and swooped away into the night. He looked at the letter and breathed deeply through his nose to preserve his calm, the letter was from his account manager at Gringotts.

 _Dear Mr. Malfoy_

 _It is my duty to inform you that your attempted purchase of the discussed retail locations in Diagon_ _Ally was refused as they have already been purchased by incoming Nirnian merchants and are currently being managed by the recent Stillglade account. As such I regret to inform you that your projected profits for the next fiscal year will be greatly reduced. This in itself has resulted in your family no longer holding the prestigious place as the wealthiest active account in wizarding Britain. You have our condolences and we await your reply to set an appointment to discuss what action you wish to take._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Fangrot_

 _Malfoy account manager_

Lucius stared at the page in disbelief. Curse those goblins! He though as he crumpled the letter with a snarl and threw it into the fire. This was why he didn't let the sneaky little bastards to manage his accounts without his permission, they were incompetent and useless.

He threw himself back into his chair and grabbed his glass once more, tossing back the amber liquid and pouring another measure before he turned his gaze back to the fireplace and stared into the flames cursing the goblins, the Nirnians, and especially cursing Stillglade.

* * *

A/N

SURPRISE! I am in fact alive, my summer was a hectic time and I rarely even saw my computer so I hope that now I am back the story shall continue. Hope you all had a lovely story and thank you so much for keeping with me even through the silence.

Travel safe! Trojan Seeress


	14. Madman and the Market

**Chapter 12- A market and a madman**

The group of students sat in the carriages and looked on in awe at the city that rose above them atop the massive stone arch. "That is Solitude, capital of Skyrim" Aralas whispered to his friends who sat next to him. Hermione was practically quivering with delight as she observed the magnificent city. It had grown in the years since the civil war. The walls had expanded with now another whole layer added to the ancient city. The docks were now a part of the city proper and a whole new district had been added.

The Carriages drew to a halt in front of the first gates at the bottom of the hill and all disembarked. They all wore the emerald green and leather robes they had been issued and their hoods were down as they enjoyed the sunshine and warmth that they had missed whilst in the ice locked college. Silandra stood in the front with her fur lined blue robes and their College chaperones in golden coloured robes stood among them. Their Terran chaperones waited in regular wizarding robes near the back of the group, though Sirius now wore a set of stylish black and silver clothes he had recently purchased for the occasion.

"Now remember, if at anytime you become separated from you groups you must find a guard in red armour with a bear shield and tell them that you are a member of the college students. They will take you to where you need to go." Silandra called to her students who nodded. It had become a well known fact that you didn't disobey the Archmage. After Weasely had disobeyed her orders and had been hung by his ankles from the top of the mages tower for five hours. They had all been forced to watch as his frostbitten toes were regrown. That disturbing sight had quickly enforced their realisation that the Archmage's word was unassailable law.

Even the Slytherins didn't dare cross her. Over the week the students had been forced out of their house groups and into their training groups, the system not allowing for them to maintain their grudges less they face the wrath of their trainers. Shana looked down at her group and held in a small smile. She had been rather concerned about her charges but they had shaped up nicely. Well, most of them had. The blond imperial had been taken under one of the older student's wing and that had done wonders for him, though far from a complete reform it was becoming better than nothing. The three who were already friends had flourished under the different teaching style.

The young girl's bushy brown hair had been wrestled into submission with a collection of braids that some of the older girls had taught her and the young boy had put on some muscle, the beginnings of a warrior's frame becoming evident under his rapidly thinning layer of baby fat. The Bosmer child was no concern and had taken to the training with glee. It was her last student that caused her to frown. Stubborn, opinionated, greedy and hostile.

Those were just a few of the words she could use to describe him. He argued constantly and didn't appear to actually learn from his mistakes. He had even had the gall to suggest that it was his groups fault that he had been punished. She sighed and tugged her adept robes, her elven gauntlets glinting in the light.

She felt naked without her heavy Dwemer plate but this was the uniform for the college. She kept her eye on her charges as she led them through the gates and into the grand market.

* * *

Draco looked around the market with wonder. It was so different from Diagon ally, but no less wondrous. Voices shouted and called to each other, trying to garner attention from the passers by. A deep maroon Argonian advertised potions and ingredients while a Khajiit called out for people to see the jewelry and baubles he had for sale. Store fronts decorated with colourful signs and open doors waited for someone to wander in.

Flags and awnings shone in multi-coloured splendor in the bright sunlight. Musicians from the Bards College played on street corners with bowls for coins set in front of them and a few tumblers and jugglers performed in an open space near the northern side of the market. The air was filled with the smell of foods, from sweet rolls to roasted meat. Drinks of every kind, from mead to chilled non alcoholic beverages and even magically frozen fruit juices that could be consumed were on offer from stalls and vendors.

This was the bi-annual Grand Market Festival of Solitude, one of the biggest markets in Skyrim, people traveled from all over the continent to sell their wares. Merchants from Hammerfell, Elsweyr, Valenwood and Highrock competed with Altmer, Dunmer and imperial merchants. It was a truly competitive and festive atmosphere, and all sponsored by the thane of Skyrim, the acknowledged richest woman in all of Tameriel. Guards from Solitude and various payed mercenaries oversaw the market providing visible security.

Thieves and assassins patrolled the crowds, protecting the shoppers from predation. All taking a break on this market day by order of their Guildmaster, making it one of the safest events in all of Tameriel. There had never been a murder at the market in all the years of its establishment, a fact that Silandra was extremely proud of. The students wandered through the crowds in their training groups along with the older college students, taking in the grandeur of the Market.

Draco found himself laughing and enjoying himself for perhaps the first time in his young life. He laughed and smiled openly, joking in a way he had never been permitted to before by his parents. Aralas had taken to dragging his group through the market, showing them the things he had seen on previous visits with Shana watching over them like a hawk. Ron glared and muttered at everyone and sniffed at the lack of visible magic, he had grown bitter to all things Nirn after they had merely laughed at his attempts to seem tough, ridiculing him for his arrogance and jealousy.

Malfoy had worked from the ground up and was actually trying to make an effort to see the world anew and as such had recived tentative acceptance by the other student. Something that made the redhead hat the Slytherin even more.

* * *

Sirius smiled as he tugged at the stem of a collection of bright yellow flowers. The stems snapped and h took his prize with him as he wove through the crowds. Silandra was standing at a stand that advertised precious gems, bartering the price for a trio of flawless sapphires she was attempting to sell to the merchant.

He snuck up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned and he produced the flower with a flourish. She took it with a raised eyebrow and a small smile tugging at her lips. "Dragon's tongue?" she asked him with a small smile as if there was a joke that he wasn't getting. Sirius blinked then grinned.

"Yes" he answered. Silandra took the flower and slid the stem into one of her braids.

"Then thank you kind sir" she replied before turning back to the merchant and picking up a pile of coins. "Would you like to walk with me?" she asked and Sirius gave a roguish grin and held out his arm.

"If you would care to accompany me milady" he replied. Silandra rolled hr eyes and placed her hand on his forearm and led him through the market.

* * *

Eventually the sun began it's decent and the market changed, stalls closed and others opened. Shop fronts glowed with light and warmth and the guards lit torches. Lanterns were lit and beautiful curtains of purple, blue, green and red drew themselves across the darkened sky. The twin moons rose high in the twilight and trillions of stars woke to dance in the heavens. The music changed as different styles were brought out to be played.

Instruments from far off lands saw use and songs sung in a multitude of different tongues and eras filled the air. Even a few Vampires dared show themselves with their wares, strange and fascinating artifacts from ages long past and ingredients gathered from dark and dangerous places. Beautiful baubles crafted by hands old enough to remember bygone eras and books of ancient knowledge sat next to beautifully, crafted fur clothes brought forth by the few Weres that had gathered the courage to come.

It had long been established that all were welcome at the market as long as the peace was kept. High queen Elisif herself made an appearance and made an effort to meet and speak with the visiting Terrans, charming many of them with her beautiful smile and kind words that remained even as she aged. The highlight of the evening was the magnificent magic display put on by Archmage Stillglade herself and a handful of the college master illusionists. Illusions of dragons and Daedra battled mages and warriors.

Stories and legends flashed like fireworks across the sky as the mistress of illusion herself took the opportunity to show off. The Terran wizards watched in awe, their jaws hanging open at the magnificent demonstration of Nirnian magic.

When the evening finished and the night market was in full swing The Terran wizards were herded up into the old city proper and given beds at the bard's college before their return to Winterhold and Earth the next day. As he snuggled into the thick furs of his bed, Draco couldn't help but wish he didn't have to return to Hogwarts.

* * *

Dawn sat with the college delegation in their carriages once more as they trotted across Skyrim. It had been an eventful night, Goyle had gotten into a fight with Weasely before bed and he now sported a black eye and a split lip. Weasely on the other hand looked like a horse had kicked him in the face, a missing tooth, swollen nose and collection of bruises marked his face. The College trainer who had seen the fight had declared it an honour duel and that Weasely had lost. Badly.

Mrs. Weasely had tried to fuss over the fuming boy but had been prevented by Shana. The Altmer's glare had silenced the red headed matron and her statement that the boy needed to learn that insulting someone's family was not permitted. Goyle had recived a sturdy hand on the shoulder from his rather pleased looking trainer. A heavily muscled Orismer with an impressive set of tusks and a white handprint on his face. Their arrival in at the college was anticlimactic.

They were to pack up and meet in the courtyard in two hours. Draco reluctantly packed up his small amount of clothes and looked around the small room he had slept in for the past week. It had been hard at first and only barely got easier as the week progressed, but he felt that something important had happened here, like a new chapter of his life had started in this little room.

As he walked down the stairs he saw the older boy who had helped him. "Hello Draco" he greeted and Draco nodded him Return. "Thank you Nelkir" he told the older teen. The dark haired young man smiled and put a hand on Draco's shoulder.

"Look after yourself Draco. Don't believe what other people tell you at face value" he urged and Draco nodded, before giving the older teen a quick hug, the first he had given since he was six, and heading down to the courtyard fro their journey home.

* * *

Dumbledore smiled to himself and idly picked an imaginary piece of lint off his florid royal purple robes. The first years were due to return from their field trip soon. The great hall was empty with the tables pulled back to give the arriving group room. A swirling sphere or purple and black light sprang into existence and a few of the waiting teachers jumped back. The students began to exit the portal in groups of five they moved out of the way and waited quietly in their pods watching the portal with serious eyes.

Some of them had small injuries like bruises or a split lip. Young Goyle appeared to be missing a tooth and the left side of his face was purple and black. Dumbledore was worried and despite the fact that the boy was grinning like he had won the lottery; he was not convinced at the boy's well fair. The parent chaperones stepped through and seamed to breath a sigh of relief but young Sirius looked a little put out. Archmage Stillglade stepped through last and the first years bowed to the woman who nodded t them, a smile lighting up her amber eyes.

She turned to Dumbledore and nodded. "I return your students to you." She told him formally and inclined her head.

Dumbledore nodded genially at her and she looked at her temporary students one last time before she vanished back through the portal to Nirn. Dumbledore turned to look at the first years and their chaperons.

"So I trust that it went well?" he asked curiously. Some of the students nodded vigorously while others shook their head. Young Weasely was particularly vocal while the others were leaving a bit of a void around the boy. Unwilling to get to near him.

"I'm glad, as you know the Halloween feast will be happening this evening. Why don't you all go to your dormitories and unpack" he commanded the students. The groups filed out, students leaving their pods to depart in the direction of their common rooms.

Draco looked at the Gryffindor trio and made a decision. He stuck out his hand firmly. Aralas cocked his head before smiling and taking the blond boy's had and shaking it firmly. They didn't speak but they didn't need to. As Draco departed for the Slytherin common room the others from his house looked at him in uncertainty.

They didn't know how to handle this new, quieter Draco. Though Crabb and Goyle had approached him, they were another two who had truly thrived in the harsher environment of Nirn, finding ways to channel their aggression and larger frames into something constructive. Draco looked at the two boys and decided that he wanted friendships like the Gryffindor trio. He wanted Shield-siblings, and maybe he could find them in Crabb and Goyle, or make a friend in Aralas.

* * *

The Halloween Feast was a bit of a culture shock to the returning first years. It was astonishing the things that they had become accustom to in Nirn. A week had been almost like a year to them and now they sat in the brightly lit hall, eating Terran food. The older years were demanding questions from the first years and many were loudly telling tales, Weasely in articular was loudly telling them about the "tortures" he had suffered while the other Gryffindor first years glared at him and corrected his stories causing the boy's ears to turn redder and redder. The field was about to draw to a close when a flash of purple drew everyone's attention. A man with shoulder length sliver hair in a purple and red doublet leapt from the portal.

Glowing yellow eyes sweeping the hall and a large grin splitting his face. "HEllllooooooooo Hogwarts!" he cried and lifted his hand. A staff with three faces materialised in his hand.

"Wabbajack!" a Ravenclaw first years cried and the first years dove to the ground, following the drill they had been given if the artifact should ever be seen.

"Wabbajack?" Dumbledore asked uncertainty, looking at the man.

"WABBAJACK!" the man confirmed and launching a flash of light at the headmaster. Dumbledore only had a moment to blink before he morphed into a snow white goat with a rather impressive beard. "Albus!" McGonagall cried drawing her wand only to vanish in a puff of light which cleared to reveal Saber toothed tiger. "Wicked!" the Weasely twins called as another flash of light hit their brother who had refused to duck.

A Mudcrab emerged from the light, squeaking angrily and snapping it's claws. Pandemonium reigned as students ran and screamed, trying to escape the laughing man. Quirrell tried to escape only to be struck in the back by a flash of light. The resulting skeever was pounced upon by the Saber cat that was Minerva who began to toy with the frantically squeaking rat. Snap drew his wand and hurled five spells at the man in quick succession.

The lights were batted aside and Snape was turned into an oversized fruit bat for his trouble. "Right QUIET!" the man bellowed and the students froze, staring at him with wide eyes. "Right, I thought I'd pop in to say… HAPPY HALLOWEEN!" he bellowed before gesturing with the staff to the various farm animals that also stood frozen. Quirrell-skeever hanging by a hind paw from McGonagall-saber cat's mouth while Snape-bat glared from where he hung on a floating jack-a-lantern.

Dumbledore-goat looked nonplussed as the grinning man turned his attention to the two Weasely twins "keep up the good work lads. Who knows, we might just be in touch soon" he said with a grin and turning to where Aralas stood in a corner of darkness.

"Hello lad! I think you might be wanting this, use it well!" he threw a small package at the Bosmer who caught it looking unsure. "Oh and, don't tell your mother lad, it's part of our youth outreach program... She won't approve" he added.

Then with a rather dainty pirouette, he vanished in swirl of purple. "Wicked" the twins chanted to each other again and Aralas looked down at the thickly wrapped package in his hand. He tugged back a corner and saw a silvery materiel wrapped around what felt like a book. He carefully tucked it into his magically expanded satchel and looked at the shell shocked students.

"Yeah… That was the Daedric prince of Madness" he told them resignedly. Any questions the remaining students may have had were precluded by a loud roar from outside the castle. Everyone's eyes widened in fear and Aralas took a running run up the wall to ward the window.

Everyone, including the teachers watched with fearful expressions. The young wood elf peaked through the thick paned glass and called down. "Hermione, what has thick, grey skin, stands at about twelve feet and carries a club? It looks kinda like a giant but way uglier" he asked. "That's a Troll Aralas!" the first year girl cried and looked around in horror. Flitwick came to the rescue. "Right, everyone remains seated and don't make much sound. I am putting the castle on lock down until we can restore the headmaster and Deputy Headmistress" He cried loudly.

A few people tried to argue but were quickly silenced when Madam Pomphrey and Professors Sprout and Sinistra backed him up. With one incantation the front doors and secret passageways to the castle sealed shut with a loud gong like crash.

The Wabbajack Victims were headed into a corner and the now bleeding and abused looking Quirrell-skeever removed from the Snarling Macgona-cat who Hagrid threw a large chunk of steak for her to gnaw on. Dumble-goat munched contentedly on a napkin he had found and Bat-Snape was given a large chunk of melon to keep him contained. Mudcrab Ron had simply been knocked onto his back by the twins and he rocked back and forth, squeaking angrily.

The tables were cleared away and the various houses chaperoned to bed by the remaining teachers. Flitwick stared at the collection of over thirty creatures that had been affected and rolled up his sleeves before reaching for a nearby bottle of Firewhisky. This might take awhile.

* * *

A/N- From the ashes of her past self, the ancient princess of troy rise. Looking about she frowned as she saw only chaos, disorder and terrible spelling. She shook her head, sad at her naiveté and prayed that her story would become better.

Hello! I live! and I survived what may have been the most gruelling several months of my geologically short life. Please forgive me for the lurch I left you in. *bows apologetically* Also I wish to fulfill a debt. I urge you to take a look at Mystborn's latest story: I Work for the Bureau of Original Characters, They are immensely proud of it but saddened that so few people seem interested in it. I know many came to see who I was after Mystborn's endorsement and I thank you for it. Now it's time to repay the favour. So if you like a laugh and maybe a pluck at the heartstrings, go check it out please.

Thank you to all those who stayed with me through this long silence, I hope that the next update will no be so long in coming.

Safe travels, Trojan Seeress.


	15. Crunchy and good with salt

**Chapter 13- Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons  
**

Minerva McGonagall stared into the amber depths of her tumbler and wondered if this was the best method of dealing with Halloween. The sun was barely up on a Sunday and she was trying to drink herself awake. She shook her head and looked at the tumbler again.

The last one she vowed. With a deep sight she closed her eyes and winced as the once quiet and docile cat that sat in her magic thrashed and roared. After she had been returned to her original form and hustled to the hospital wing for observation, her animagus form had begun to fight her. It felt bigger and wilder than before and so she had sequestered herself in her quarters to sort out her inner beast. It was luck that the feast had taken place on a Friday so the teachers could recover from their ordeal.

Flitwick had taken over and the troll had been captured and removed from the school grounds by troll trainers who had been called in by Flitwick. Dumbledore was displeased that the troll protection had to be removed but there was little that could be done about that. Minerva sighed and tossed back the remains of the brandy in her glass and stood, tightening her tartan dressing gown before she wandered over to the small kitchenet that was attached to her quarters. She set the tea kettle on the fire and brought out her tea pot and mug, setting them on her small table. The kettle gave a faint whistle as she was prying the lib off her biscuit tin that she had pulled from her emergency stash.

The hot water was poured out with a flick of her wand and she set it to steep as she sat down in the overstuffed wingbacked arm chair that sat next to the fireplace. Her slipper feet were set up on a footstool and the tin was tucked into the crook of her arm. With another wave of her wand the tea pot floated gently over to her with the mug trailing it. A full cup of strong, Scottish black tea was poured as she settled properly.

As ready as she could get, she absently munched on the traditional shortbread and sipped the tea as she poked and prodded at her inner cat, trying to figure out what had been done to it.

* * *

Severus Snape sneered at the platter of fruit that a house elf had just delivered. Ever since he had been turned back he had been craving fruit. It went so far that he felt soothed by gnawing on a chunk of honeydew melon.

He growled and sent an ink pot from his desk flying. It smashed against the wall and the shining black liquid dripped down the stone like an impressionistic painting. He threw himself into the padded leather armchair next to the fire and snarled at the flames, vowing to find and make some Gryffindors pay.

As he fumed, his hand snuck out and picked up a chunk of melon and he found himself nibbling daintily on the fruit. He growled in fury and tried to hurl the offending treat away but found himself unable. With a long suffering sigh he returned his arm from its attempt to throw and consigned himself to his fruit munching.

* * *

Quirrell twitched as the sound of a cat's meow caught his ears. He fought a strong urge to flinch but was still rewarded with a stab of molten hot pain through his mind as his master punished him. Apparently, the fur on the giant rat he had become was enough to hide his master face.

Unfortunately, his master had nearly suffocated under the thick, waterproof coat. _'Another bottle Quirrell'_ his master hissed and Quirrell found himself awkwardly tipping a shot of premium Firewhiskey into his master's mouth with his arms bent like a contortionist. The back of his head had taken on a tingling, numb sensation that he usually felt in his lips and fingers when drunk. He found himself wondering if this was what he had signed up for.

* * *

Dumbledore picked at his teeth, trying to removed a thread that had become stuck in his teeth from his latest escapade. It wasn't the first time he had been transformed into a goat, though the last time had been several decades ago whilst he was on a rather memorable journey in the American city of Las Vegas.

He smiled a little forlornly at the lost hedonism of his youth before returning his attention to the myriad of combs that were currently recombing his beard and hair, neat beards of knee length didn't maintain themselves after all. He tried to stand and winced at the deep pain in his joints from the spell.

The transformation had been the hardest on the ancient wizard and easiest on the first year who had been turned into a crustacean. He pondered the non-information that Sirius had given him about his journey and the questions to if Aralas was truly the long lost Harry Potter. The answer had been depressingly short.

 _"No, he is not Harry" the depressed Black told him as he sank into his chair with a weary and broken expression on his face. "Silandra is Aralas' mother without a shadow of a doubt. She says that his father was someone she met whilst traveling, apparently, there have been people who slipped between worlds before._

 _He is the same species as her because no matter the father, the child will always take more strongly after the mother with only minor fringe benefits. Her sister remembers the pregnancy vividly, apparently Silandra started hoarding massive amounts of jewels and gold during the pregnancy." Dumbledore frowned "but what of the inheritance?" he asked and Sirius shrugged. "Honestly I don't know. But Aralas is not James and Lily's child._

 _Not even blood adoptions can change someone's species, you know this" he admonished the headmaster who rubbed his forehead. "Very well, I'm sorry for doing this to you Sirius. I had hoped, but there is nothing to be done" he told the younger man with a sigh. Sirius had stood up and walked tiredly from the office, most likely to drown himself in a bottle again after such a crushing disappointment._

Dumbledore sighed and leaned back, this meant that all his plans were now back to square one. He stared at the family tree that had given him the idea. It stated, clearly and easily that Aralas Parthunax Stillglade had once been Harry James Potter.

"What was going on?" he wondered. The ink on the parchment squirmed like a collection of worms, catching his attention. He sat up and leaned forward, watching the lines as they found new positions. Aralas Parthunax Stillglade. Son of Silandra Kavira Elthiria Stillglade and a simple black line sowing someone with literally no name. this line was connected to Lily Potter in what could have been a sibling or something unknown. The line for Harry potter showed the young boy was a cousin of some kind to the young Aralas but the boy who had been Harry Potter was no more.

A small symbol of a dragon had formed next to Silandra and Aralas' names, it glowed a fiery gold that confused the elderly wizard there should have been no gold on the paper. Warily he prodded the symbol with his wand. There was an eruption of flame as a golden dragon leapt from the symbol. It spread its wings and roared, shocking the Headmaster as he fell back in his chair. It turned a blazing golden eye to Dumbledore and glared, baring its white hot fangs. **_"Kropah ni ko trun do dovah, fah hi los fask ahrk pruzah voth zal" [meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and good with salt]_** It roared in a thunderous voice.

It then it vanished with a flash of blinding light and Albus was left to stare at the strange, jagged runes that were now burned into the top of his ancient, oak desk. "What was that about?" he mused aloud and turned to look at Fawkes who appeared to be snickering at him. "What?" he demanded but the phoenix simply snorted a collection of sparks as his shoulders shook, causing his feathers to sparkle and dance like a merrily shivering flame.

Dumbledore turned his attention back to the sheet of parchment before him and scowled. No magic that he was aware of could change a lineage parchment after it had been created, and nothing that he knew of could make on lie either. He frowned deeply and set to work trying to unravel this mystery.

* * *

Fall swept past and the Christmas break had appeared on the horizon. Aralas, Neville and Hermione had fallen back into their rhythm, though they and a handful of other students found themselves missing Nirn. The weekend practices had become more popular, with Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabb and Gregory Goyle begging to join them. After some lightning, fast negotiations with Draco's father by Silandra, Draco and his cronies turned friends joined them whilst Silandra's vaults acquired a slight padding from the vaults of the Malfoy family.

Farkas was now being paid just as much, if not more than the instructors at the college as well as bringing updates on how Remus was doing, secluded away at Silandra's estate in the pale. According to Farkas, the poor Terran werewolf was being put through every pace he possessed and being forced to learn and adapt at a rate that was the classic Aela teaching style of sink or drown. At the current moment, he was wandering around the pale in little more than his small clothes and a set of boots.

Until he learned to accept his wolf and willing shift, he would have to return to the hall for regular frostbite treatments. Aralas didn't think it would be long before the Terran gave in and shifted out of sheer desperation for a fire and a cooked meal. Currently the trio were sneaking through the halls just before they were all sent home for Christmas. Hermione had finally buckled down and was now gliding through the shadows with an almost frightening ease, Serana had postulated that if Hermione were on Nirn she would make an excellent Silent mage, one who went unseen until they wished to be seen.

Neville had lost much of his clumsiness but he was not a naturally stealth inclined boy. So his sneaking was serviceable. "What do you think is behind that door?" Aralas asked them, pointing to a slightly ajar door that most likely lead to another abandoned classroom.

"Probably nothing" Neville answered but Hermione had already eased the door open a little more out of curiosity.

"Guys, there's something in here" she reported and the two boys followed her in.

Snowpaw took up a post near the door as look out for Filch or Mrs. Norris. Aralas eased the door closed and stood up from his crouch. Hermione was staring at a massive mirror, nearly nine feet tall with a stunned expression. Aralas exchanged a look with Neville before walking over to her. "Hermione?" he asked quietly.

"I can see myself as an adult Aralas, I'm beautiful" she whispered as if in a trance. He looked at her in concern.

"What do you mean?" he asked and Hermione reached out, her fingers brushing against the glass. "I'm tall, wearing master robes in the Arcanum. It's mine now. You're there too, so is Neville. We look so happy" she continued, her face now filled with longing.

Aralas yanked her hard away from the mirror. Rolling the pair of them across the floor, away from what had enchanted Hermione.

"Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi." Neville read from the top of the Mirror. "What do you suppose it means?" he asked them as Hermione shook her head to clear it. Aralas looked up and was about to warn his friend but too late. Neville was now standing in front of the mirror, his face a mask of pure joy. Tears were streaming down his face. Aralas grabbed him to pull him away but Neville fought him.

Aralas finally tackled him, shoving him out of the way. Unfortunately, this had switched their positions and Aralas now found himself gazing into the mirror. He saw himself. Taller, stronger, clad in flexible, stealth armour and holding a bow. His family, headed by his mother and Serana stared at him with proud smiles. He knew that he had done a great deed like his mother and saved Nirn. Nevil stood to his left, clad in heavy plate with a massive great sword on his back, clearly his shield brother. Hermione was on his right wearing the robes of a master mage, with armour covering the vital areas and holding a staff. Her eyes had a mischievous glint in them and Neville was grinning from ear to ear. They were heroes, masters of their craft, feared by their enemies and lauded by their allies.

He tore his eyes away and turned his back on the image with an effort that felt almost titanic. He stumbled away from the mirror and turned his attention to his friends. "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi." Hermione read again, looking shaken. "It's a riddle. I show not your face, but your hearts desire" she translated.

"A trap" Aralas muttered, "lies made of glass, used to ensnare the unwary" his voice showed his distaste for the artifact.

"I would say this was a Daedric artifact, but I don't sense any Daedric energy in it" he mumbled. "Let's just get out of here" Neville mumbled in a sad voice. Hermione and Aralas looked at him in concern but he shook his head, refusing to comment. It was a somber trio that made their way back to the Gryffindor common room.

All wrapped up in what they had seen in the Mirror. As Aralas slipped in to bed Snowpaw climbed up and snuggled into his side. The Saber cat was growing and was now about the size of a beagle. _'just because whatever you saw was not a prediction does not mean that it is not a possibility'_ he told Aralas as he purred.

Aralas buried his face in the thick white fur. "How do you know what I saw?" he asked and Snowpaw turned his massive yellow eyes to him. _'I know you, you saw yourself making your mother proud. You do that everyday, so don't think that it is unobtainable'_ the cat told him sternly. Aralas smiled let himself drift off to sleep.

* * *

The Christmas break Was finally upon them and Aralas watched the buildings of London pass bay as the train pulled in towards the station. Hermione had her nose buried in a thick leather-bound tome and Neville was working on a potion essay, trying to get it out of the way. There was a chime that warned them of their approach to the station, Hermione and Neville put away their things and he smiled at them. They each shrugged into their winter gear as they left the warm safety of the train.

Hermione in a muggle jacket, Neville in a long wool coat and Aralas in a thick fur cloak. Their guardians were standing in a group and conversing amongst each other as they waited. Madam Longbottom stood stiffly in thick woolen winter robes as she traded pleasantries with Silandra who was decked out in thick snow white fur. Serana, in her usual, thin robes that showed far more skin than any normal person would be comfortable with in the freezing air, chatted amiably with the Grangers who were bundled up against the cold. As the three approached, the adults broke from their conversations to greet their respective progeny.

"Hatchling!" Miranda cried as she grabbed him in a bone breaking hug. Aralas returned it with equal fervour, breathing in the comforting scent that clung to his mother.

"We missed you little one" Serana told him before prying him out of his mother's arms and giving him a similar hug, though being careful to not actually break bones.

"Missed you too" Aralas mumbled as he snuggled into her arms. Hermione was babbling animatedly to her parents after having hugged them both while Neville stood a little nervously next to his grandmother after having been bestowed with an awkward hug. Serana simply shifted the slowly growing elfing in her arms, refusing to put him down. Aralas squirmed a little before sighing and giving up. Serana had not had a chance to hold her godson in almost two months, she would not waste the opportunity to cuddle him as much as Vampirically possible.

"I'm happy to take you up on your invitation Lady Longbottom. My sister, son and I will be thrilled to attend your winter celebrations" Silandra was saying to the Lady Longbottom who nodded cordially to the Elven woman. "In exchange, we invite both you and the Grangers to our new life festival, I believe you call it new years" Silandra added. "I can offer transportation and lodging" She added and The Grangers smiled.

"We'd love to" Mr. Granger answered. Lady Longbottom pursed her lips as she considered before she nodded. "I would be honoured to attend as well" The dowager replied with a thin smile that, though it was genuine still looked odd on her severe features.

"Wonderful! now we must be off. I promised Aralas to take him on a hunt when we got home" Silandra told them with a smile.

"Bye!" Aralas chirped from where he was imprisoned in his Godmother's arms and waved at his friends. Hermione and Neville smiled at him before they too said their goodbyes. The Grangers and Longbottom's watched in a cross of amazement and amusement as the Nirnian trio vanished in a swirl of purple.

* * *

"Change your gear Aralas, We're going hunting!" Silandra told him with a grin as they arrived at Lakeview manor.

"What are we hunting?" he asked and Silandra gave a feral grin. "Dragons" she answered. Aralas let out a whoop and jumped off Serana, sprinting for his room to change.

"Really Sil?" Serana asked dryly and Silandra nodded, looking proud of herself.

"Parthunax said there is a dragon near Markarth that is causing trouble, refusing to stop the burning and pillaging. So he asked me to take care of it, and I thought it would be a perfect bonding experience… Wanna come?" she replied, her eyes glowing with excitement.

Serana's grin grew across her face, exposing her fangs to the winter sunlight. "Wouldn't miss my little one's first dragon hunt for the world Sil" she replied, hurrying to the armoury to change into more appropriate clothes.

* * *

A/n- I LIVE! hello to everyone, I have emerged from the pit of exams. I ope you like. One thing I would like to point out is that Aralas is a great deal younger than his compatriots. At eleven human children are begining to take their steps away from childhood, at least physiologically. Aralas, as the member of a much slower growing species is much younger physiologically despite being the same age chronologically. Thus his need to sleep with his wolf pelt, and his much younger seeming actions when around his mother and Serana. He is in essence putting up a brave front for the school, pushing himself to act older than he really is to keep up. That said, children have to grow up fast in Nirn, and living as the Dragonborn's son he is no exception. Silandra believes in giving him what he can handle and she can be extremely protective of him because he is still so young. Malfoy Sr is trying to schmooze up to Silandra in order to gain contacts in Nirn wile Malfoy jr is actually wanting to change. Crabb and Goyle are discovering that they can actually succeed at something rather than feel left behind all the time. Ron is still a child, living in a child's world of black and white, while those in Aralas' circle are discovering that there are shades of grey. As always, Enjoy

Safe travels, Trojan Seeress.


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